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Naturalistic assessment of demand for cigarettes, snus, and nicotine gum

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Abstract

Rationale

Behavioral economic measures of demand provide estimates of tobacco product abuse liability and may predict effects of policy-related price regulation on consumption of existing and emerging tobacco products.

Objective

In the present study, we examined demand for snus, a smokeless tobacco product, in comparison to both cigarettes and medicinal nicotine. We used both a naturalistic method in which participants purchased these products for use outside the laboratory, as well as laboratory-based self-administration procedures.

Methods

Cigarette smokers (N = 42) used an experimental income to purchase their usual brand of cigarettes and either snus or gum (only one product available per session) across a range of prices, while receiving all products they purchased from one randomly selected price. In a separate portion of the study, participants self-administered these products during laboratory-based, progressive ratio sessions.

Result

Demand elasticity (sensitivity of purchasing to price) was significantly greater for snus than cigarettes. Elasticity for gum was intermediate between snus and cigarettes but was not significantly different than either. Demand intensity (purchasing unconstrained by price) was significantly lower for gum compared to cigarettes, with no significant difference observed between snus and cigarettes. Results of the laboratory-based, progressive ratio sessions were generally discordant with measures of demand elasticity, with significantly higher “breakpoints” for cigarettes compared to gum and no significant differences between other study products. Moreover, breakpoints and product purchasing were generally uncorrelated across tasks.

Conclusions

Under naturalistic conditions, snus appears more sensitive to price manipulation than either cigarettes or nicotine gum in existing smokers.

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Acknowledgments

All authors wish to thank Mariah Schroen and Nicole Seymour for assistance in data collection.

Preparation of this manuscript was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health: U19 CA157345.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Addiction Recovery Research Center, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA

    Jeffrey S. Stein, Mikhail N. Koffarnus, Michael C. Judd & Warren K. Bickel

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    A. George Wilson

Authors
  1. Jeffrey S. Stein
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  2. A. George Wilson
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  3. Mikhail N. Koffarnus
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  4. Michael C. Judd
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  5. Warren K. Bickel
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Correspondence to Warren K. Bickel.

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Stein, J.S., Wilson, A.G., Koffarnus, M.N. et al. Naturalistic assessment of demand for cigarettes, snus, and nicotine gum. Psychopharmacology 234, 245–254 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-016-4455-y

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