Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study investigates the use of pipes and cigars as alternative ways of using tobacco in order to reduce the risk of harm of smoking. A nationally representative sample of approximately 26,000 adults, 18 and older, from the 2001 National Household Survey of Drug Abuse is used to test the differences in self-rated health of nonsmokers, former smokers, cigarette smokers, cigar smokers and pipe smokers. Using a standard question regarding self-rated health, pipe and cigar smokers should report better self-rated health than cigarette smokers but poorer self-rated health than nonsmokers or former cigarette smokers. The data generally support this hypothesis. As a result pipes and cigars can be seen as a form of tobacco harm reduction, a policy that is preferable to abstinence.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This study outlines the portrayal of tobacco issues in the US press over one year. Press coverage is mapped in order to understand its impact on key tobacco use behaviors and policy decisions. Our textual analysis incorporates 6,332 newspaper articles from 350 U.S. daily newspapers.

Newspaper coverage reflects events occurring nationally, and at the state and local levels. It represents attitudes on the part of both the public and newsmakers. The press’ treatment of issues shapes popular attitudes, acts as an agent of public education, and plays an important role in determining the policy agenda (Baillie, 1996). Previous research of the coverage of particular tobacco issues has revealed patterns in terms of its content, slant and frame (Magzamen et al, 2001; Malone et al, 2000), but as yet, however, there has been little comprehensive consideration of press coverage of tobacco, and the potentially competing messages that such coverage may convey.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Smoking has been identified as the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Approximately 50 million Americans smoke. Nearly 3 million United States teenagers smoke. Approximately 3,000 teenagers a day become regular smokers and one-third of them will die prematurely of a smoking-related disease (USDHHS 1990). Adolescent tobacco use and the subsequent health problems are a major concern in American society. The Institute of Medicine has declared tobacco use a pediatric epidemic. Ninety percent of regular smokers begin before the age of 19 and 60 percent begin before the age of 14 (USDHHS 1989). Public health officials agree that abstinence from using tobacco products is the best policy. Given the prevalence of tobacco use by adolescents how does cessation or reduction programs measure up against prevention programs? This paper examines the current philosophies behind adolescent tobacco cessation and reduction programs versus prevention programs. In addition it examines how the recent tobacco litigation settlement focuses attention on the role of law in abetting the cessation vs. prevention debate.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The paper uses tobacco industry documents and other archival documents to examine the role and influence of the tobacco industry in the global political economy of excise tax and duty on tobacco products.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Previous research comparing traditional “Blame” anti-tobacco advertisements that conceptualize smoking problems and consequences as caused by the individual to the new “Attack” ads that challenge the institutions behind tobacco products produced conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of both types of messages. The current study seeks to inform as to what overall message type (i.e., Blame vs. Attack) is likely to influence individuals who currently smoke or are likely to smoke in the future. In addition to Blame vs. Attack, this study examines message components used to increase attention (i.e., Message Sensation Value) and measures how each message is attended, encoded, and stored. A total of 226 participants took part in a 3 (Tobacco Use: low/moderate/high) X 2 (Message Type: Blame/Attack) X 2 (Message Sensation Value: Low/High) repeated measures experiment. Findings suggest that High MSV Attack ads are more effective than Blame ads in terms of processing (measured by Secondary Task Reaction Times, and Recognition Memory). Though tobacco use did not seem to influence processing this research is important in understanding what messages are most likely to increase attention and further encoding for audience members most at risk for smoking behaviors.