An examination of cigarette brand switching to reduce health risks

This study examined cigarette brand switching to reduce health risks in a population of young smokers (N = 7,998) entering United States Air Force Basic Military Training. Because of a comprehensive tobacco ban during training, all smokers were abstinent during the study. Results from this investigation suggested that brand switching to reduce health risks was common among current smokers (31.3% of males; 32.3% of females). Brand switchers smoked fewer cigarettes, were more likely to smoke low-yield brands, had lower scores on a measure of nicotine dependency, and were more confident they could remain abstinent following training. Other discriminators of smokers who had switched brands from other smokers included using smoking to control appetite, greater proclivity to attempt smoking cessation, engaging in fewer safety risks, and healthier dietary composition. Finally, brand switchers quit smoking at a higher rate than other smokers (12.5% versus 11.1%) during the year following basic military training. However, a multivariate logistic regression model that controlled for demographic factors and smoking history suggested that brand switching was not a statistically significant predictor of smoking cessation during the follow-up period.