Cigarette Brand Preference and Pro-Tobacco Advertising among US Middle and High School Students

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Nearly all adult smokers first try cigarettes before the age of 18 years. Tobacco-advertising activities, among other factors, including peer influence and price, are associated with initiation of smoking and the continued use of tobacco products among youth.

What is added by this report?

Analysis of 2012–2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey data found that Marlboro, Newport, and Camel were the most commonly reported usual brands smoked by middle and high school current (past 30-day) cigarette smokers. In 2016, these three brands accounted for 73.1% and 78.7% of current cigarette smokers in middle and high school, respectively. Ads for these three brands were also the three most commonly identified “favorite cigarette ad” in 2012. Current cigarette smokers who reported exposure to neither e-cigarette ads nor cigarette ads reported significantly lower prevalence of having a usual brand than those who reported exposure to both ads during 2015.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Reducing youth-oriented tobacco marketing, as part of a comprehensive approach in concert with other evidence-based strategies, including comprehensive smoke-free policies, increasing the price of tobacco products, and raising the minimum age of purchase for tobacco products to 21 years, could help reduce the acceptability, affordability, and use of tobacco products among youth.

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