Quit-smoking messages to boost the effect of a menthol cigarette ban
Examining whether quit smoking messages amplify the benefits of ending the sale of menthol cigarettes
This project looks at whether messages encouraging quitting help people who smoke menthol cigarettes quit instead of switching when menthol sales stop.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11362773 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you smoke menthol cigarettes, this project develops and tests clear quit-smoking messages aimed at helping you stop rather than switch to non-menthol products. The team will create messages using expert input, focus groups, and a national online experiment with menthol smokers. Then participants will be invited to a randomized trial in UNC’s Mini Mart, a small convenience-store set up to mimic real shopping trips, to compare a menthol-sales restriction alone versus the restriction plus quit messages and a control. The study will track what people buy in the Mini Mart and measure quitting-related outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who currently smoke menthol cigarettes and are willing to participate in message development and visit the UNC Mini Mart research site for the trial.
Not a fit: People who do not smoke or who only use non-menthol cigarettes, or those unable or unwilling to visit the study site, are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could help more menthol smokers quit and reduce smoking-related harm, especially in groups disproportionately targeted by menthol marketing.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows quit-smoking messages can increase quitting, but testing those messages together with a menthol sales restriction in a realistic shopping setting is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hall, Marissa — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Hall, Marissa
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.