Effects of Exposure of Youths at Risk for Smoking to Television Advertising for Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Zyban®: An Experimental Study

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Abstract
Television advertising for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and Zyban exposes the entire population, including adolescents, to persuasive messages about these smoking-cessation products. There is a risk that adolescents exposed to the advertising might underestimate addictiveness or perceive an unintended message that it is easy to quit smoking. This is of concern because optimism about quitting is a major predictor of trial and progression to heavier smoking among youths. We randomly allocated 492 youths age 12 to 14 years to one of three viewing conditions in which they viewed either (a) 4 NRT ads, (b) 4 Zyban ads, or (c) 4 ads promoting nonpharmacologic cessation services, such as telephone quitlines. After viewing each ad twice, participants completed a 1-page rating form. After all ads had been viewed, youths completed a questionnaire that measured intentions to smoke in the future, perceived addictiveness of smoking, perceived risks and benefits of smoking, and perceived need for pharmaceutical products and services. There were no differences in the composition of groups by age, gender, or smoking uptake. Youths were more likely to agree that the NRT and Zyban ads, compared with the quitline ads, made it seem easy to quit smoking (p < .001). However, there were no systematic differences between groups in perceived addictiveness of smoking, intentions to smoke, or other outcomes. This study suggests that although ads for NRT and Zyban may create "face value" impressions that it is easier to quit, at least in an experimental context in which exposure to ads for telephone quitlines is equal, such appraisals do not undermine more enduring perceptions about smoking. Field research taking into account the relatively high volume of pharmaceutical cessation product advertising is needed.