Investigating misleading marketing tactics in tobacco products targeting youth and young adults
Official title: A new generation of misleading tobacco marketing: Assessing the evolution of misleading combustible tobacco marketing features and detrimental implications for vulnerable youth and young adults
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11005742 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how the tobacco industry uses tricky words and images to market cigarettes and cigarillos, focusing on how these tactics affect young people, and aims to help improve public health efforts by understanding these marketing strategies better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | January 3, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $221,068 |
| NIH project number | 5K01CA281062-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11005742 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include youth and young adults who are exposed to tobacco marketing and are at risk of tobacco use.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not youth or young adults, or those who do not engage with tobacco marketing, may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research examines how the tobacco industry uses new misleading descriptors and imagery in marketing combustible tobacco products, such as cigarettes and cigarillos. It aims to understand the impact of these marketing strategies on vulnerable youth and young adults by conducting focus groups to assess their attention, product appeal, and risk perceptions. The study will also review existing literature and marketing content to characterize these misleading tactics and their implications for public health. By tracking these changes, the research seeks to inform regulatory efforts and public health communications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better regulatory measures that protect youth and young adults from misleading tobacco marketing.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that misleading marketing tactics can significantly influence consumer behavior, indicating that this approach has potential for impactful findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gratale, Stefanie — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Gratale, Stefanie
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.