Court-ordered tobacco health warning signs in stores
Implementation, reach, and impact of court-ordered tobacco corrective statement postings at the point-of-sale
This project looks at whether large, court-ordered tobacco warning signs posted in stores reach shoppers and change beliefs or smoking behavior among adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11360950 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may see large, court-ordered signs in many stores explaining the health risks of smoking and the tobacco industry's past deception. Researchers will record where and how consistently retailers post the signs, observe shopper exposure, and collect responses from adults (including people who smoke) about what they notice and believe. The team will combine store observations, shopper surveys, and population indicators (such as quitline calls or sales data) to track changes over time. The work aims to understand whether this broad, retail-based messaging shifts awareness, attitudes, or smoking-related actions in real-world settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults, especially current smokers or regular retail shoppers in U.S. communities where the signs are posted, are the most likely candidates to participate or be affected.
Not a fit: People under 21, those who do not visit stores displaying the signs, or individuals whose tobacco use is not influenced by signage may not see direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase awareness of tobacco harms and encourage some people to cut back or quit, lowering cancer risk over time.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show warning labels and public health campaigns can change beliefs and sometimes reduce smoking, but large-scale, court-mandated point-of-sale corrective signs are a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wackowski, Olivia — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Wackowski, Olivia
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.