National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey, 2003-2005

Purpose: To describe the impact of the National Cancer Institute’s promotion of its youth smoking cessation program, Smokefree Teen (SFT). Design: We provide a description of campaign strategies and outcomes as a means to engage a teen audience in cessation resources using a cost-effective approach. Setting: The campaign occurred nationally, using traditional (TV and radio), online, and social media outreach. Participants: Ads targeted adolescent smokers (aged 14-17). The baseline population was 42 586 and increased to 464 357 during the campaign. Measures: Metrics used to assess outcomes include (1) visits to SFT website from traditional and online ads, (2) cost to get an online ad clicked (cost-per-click), and (3) SmokefreeTXT program enrollments during the 8-week campaign period. Analysis: We conducted a quantitative performance review of all tactics. Results: The SFT campaign achieved an online ad click-through rate of 0.33%, exceeding industry averages of 0.15%. Overall, web traffic to teen.smokefree.gov increased by 980%, and the online cost-per-click for ads, including social media actions, was approximately $1 as compared with $107 for traditional ads. Additionally, the campaign increased the SmokefreeTXT program teen sign-ups by 1334%. Conclusion: The campaign increased engagement with evidence-informed cessation resources for teen smokers. Results show the potential of using multiple, online channels to help increase engagement with core resources.

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Sustainability of Community-Based Youth Smoking Cessation Programs

Health Promotion Practice ◽

10.1177/1524839916657326 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 17 (6) ◽

pp. 845-852 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Susan J. Curry ◽

Robin J. Mermelstein ◽

Amy K. Sporer

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Sole Source ◽

State Funding ◽

Youth Smoking ◽

Community Based ◽

Sustained Operation ◽

Initial Survey

A national survey of 591 community-based youth smoking cessation programs provided an opportunity to assess the sustainability of health promotion programming over a 3-year period. Initial survey questions were mapped to five sustainability domains (local ownership, organizational alignment, resources, demand, and standard operating procedures) and examined to identify correlates of sustained operation. Follow-up surveys were completed with 305 programs. Assuming loss to follow-up indicated failure to sustain, the overall rate of program continuation was 32%. Baseline correlates of sustaining operation included the following: serving more youth, training staff in smoking cessation, longer time in operation at the initial survey, and receiving state funding as a sole source of support. Primary reasons for discontinuation related to lack of funding, insufficient enrollment, change of focus from tobacco cessation, and scheduling difficulty. Replication of studies like this survey of youth smoking cessation programs with other types of health promotion and public health programming can further test sustainability frameworks, provide validated measures, and ultimately inform a robust and replicable array of lasting, effective, evidence-based public health programs.

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How to Think—Not Feel—about Tobacco Harm Reduction

Nicotine & Tobacco Research ◽

10.1093/ntr/nty084 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (10) ◽

pp. 1299-1309 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Kenneth E Warner

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Harm Reduction ◽

Tobacco Control ◽

National Survey ◽

Objective Assessment ◽

Positive Contribution ◽

Youth Smoking ◽

Tobacco Harm Reduction ◽

Reduced Risk

Abstract Introduction The debate over tobacco harm reduction (THR) has divided the tobacco control community into two camps, one expressing serious reservations about THR whereas the other believes that reduced-risk products like e-cigarettes will disrupt the cigarette market. The often emotional debate would benefit from dispassionate data-based evaluation of evidence. Methods After briefly discussing harm reduction in public health and specifically in tobacco control, this paper identifies major issues concerning e-cigarettes and reviews relevant evidence. Issues include: e-cigarettes’ risks compared to cigarette smoking; the effect of vaping on youth smoking; vaping’s impact on adult smoking cessation; the net long-term public health implications of vaping; and differences in views on policy issues. The intent is to provide a broad overview of issues and evidence, directing readers to more detailed reviews of specific issues. Findings Principal findings include the following: (1) while longitudinal studies suggest that vaping increases never-smoking young people’s odds of trying smoking, national survey data indicate that adolescents’ 30-day smoking prevalence decreased at an unprecedented rate precisely whereas vaping increased. Use of all other tobacco products also declined. (2) Recent population-level studies add evidence that vaping is increasing adult smoking cessation. (3) Vaping is likely to make a positive contribution to public health. Conclusions THR can be a complement to, not a substitute for, evidenced-based tobacco control interventions. Tobacco control professionals need to focus on objective assessment of and discussion about the potential costs and benefits of THR. Implications Participants on both sides of the divisive THR debate need to examine the complicated issues and evidence more objectively. This entails considering both the potential benefits and costs associated with reduced-risk products like e-cigarettes. Furthermore, it requires examining different kinds of evidence when considering specific issues. For example, those concerned by longitudinal study findings that vaping increases students’ trial of cigarettes should consider US national survey evidence that youth smoking has decreased at an unprecedented rate. A review of the major issues suggests that the potential of vaping to assist adult smokers to quit outweighs the potential negatives.

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