How a menthol cigarette ban, with or without a quit-smoking campaign, changes what people buy
UNC Tobacco Convenience Store Study
This trial tests whether banning menthol cigarettes, either alone or paired with a quit-smoking campaign, changes purchasing behavior among adults 21 and older who currently smoke menthol cigarettes.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 1185 (estimated) |
| Ages | 21 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Raleigh, North Carolina) |
| Trial ID | NCT07458607 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Researchers will run a randomized experiment with about 1,185 adults who currently smoke menthol cigarettes and are at least 21 years old. Participants are randomized to one of three groups (menthol ban plus quit campaign, menthol ban alone, or control) and complete two in-person shopping visits about one week apart at an experimental UNC Mini Mart stocked with tobacco and everyday items. Between visits, participants receive text-message ads matched to their assigned group, and investigators record in-store purchases and collect computer-based survey data. The primary outcomes are changes in tobacco purchasing behavior and related self-reported measures.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults (21+) who currently smoke menthol cigarettes, have purchased menthol cigarettes in a store in the past month, can attend two in-person shopping visits, can complete computer surveys, and can receive images by text message.
Not a fit: People who do not smoke menthol cigarettes, are under 21, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are already enrolled in another quit-smoking study are not eligible and unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, pairing a menthol ban with supportive quit-smoking messages could reduce purchases of menthol cigarettes and help more smokers quit.
How similar studies have performed: Prior policy analyses and advertising interventions suggest menthol restrictions and quit campaigns can reduce smoking, but combining them in a randomized simulated-store experiment is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Are ages 21 years and older * Smoke cigarettes currently (i.e. currently smoke some days or every day and have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime) * Smoke menthol cigarettes * Purchased menthol cigarettes in a store in the past month * Read and speak English * Can complete a survey on a computer without help * Can receive images by text message * Can attend 2 in-person appointments involving shopping tasks and computer surveys Exclusion Criteria: * Are pregnant * Are breastfeeding * Enrolled currently in another research study about quitting smoking
Where this trial is running
Raleigh, North Carolina
- UNC Mini Mart — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (Recruiting)
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.