Grant Number:	5R21CA246602-02 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Katz, Sherri Jean
Organization:	University Of Minnesota
Project Title:	E-Cigarettes and Youth: Tests of Strategies to Prevent Recreational Use
Fiscal Year:	2020

Project Summary: E-Cigarettes and Youth: Tests of Strategies to Prevent Recreational Use. While electronic cigarettes have been used successfully as a cessation tool, recreational use of e-cigarettes by non-smoking youth has increased dramatically in recent years. This study tests how variations in modified risk statements, novelty flavors, and flavor representation (pictorial images vs. plain-text flavor names) influence how middle school youth perceive e-cigarettes and their susceptibility toward use. This research helps to identify communication strategies that minimize recreational uptake of e-cigarettes by middle school youth. Two randomly-assigned, between-subjects experiments will be conducted on a verified middle school sample. The first with vary whether or not participants view a modified risk statement alongside the FDA warning on e-cigarette packages, as well as the type of modified risk statement (abstract health consequence mentioned vs. specific health consequence mentioned). The second study will vary whether or not participants view e-liquid vials with tobacco flavor or a novelty flavor (menthol, fruit, candy, goth). Outcome measures include risk perceptions, message comprehension, harm minimizing beliefs, susceptibility, and behavioral intentions toward e-cigarette uptake. This research project builds the literature on the perceptions and influence of e-cigarette labeling on youth.