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Prevalence and perceptions of flavour capsule cigarettes among adults who smoke in Brazil, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia and Mexico: findings from the ITC surveys

Kyriakos CN 1 , Erinoso O 2 , Driezen P 3 , Thrasher JF 4 , Katanoda K 5 , Quah ACK 6 Show all authors , Tabuchi T 7 , Perez CA 8 , Seo HG 9 , Kim SY 10 , Nordin ASA 11 , Hairi FM 11 , Fong GT 12 , Filippidis FT 13

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK c.kyriakos20@imperial.ac.uk
  • 2 University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
  • 3 School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
  • 4 Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
  • 5 Division of Cancer Statistics Integration, Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center Japan, Chuo-ku, Japan
  • 6 Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
  • 7 Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
  • 8 National School of Public Health Sérgio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 9 Department of Family Medicine, National Cancer Center, Goyang, South Korea
  • 10 National Tobacco Control Center, Korean Health Promotion Institute, Seoul, South Korea
  • 11 Nicotine Addiction Research Group, Centre of Addiction Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 12 School of Public Health Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
  • 13 Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London School of Public Health, London, UK
BMJ Open, 2024 Apr 19;14(4):e083080.
PMID: 38642995 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083080

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The global market of flavour capsule cigarettes (FCCs) has grown significantly over the past decade; however, prevalence data exist for only a few countries. This study examined prevalence and perceptions of FCCs among adults who smoke across five countries.

METHODS: Cross-sectional data among adults who smoked cigarettes came from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project Surveys-Brazil (2016/2017), Japan (2021), Republic of Korea (2021), Malaysia (2020) and Mexico (2021). FCCs use was measured based on reporting one's usual/current brand or favourite variety has flavour capsule(s). Perceptions of the harmfulness of one's usual brand versus other brands were compared between those who used capsules versus no capsules. Adjusted logistic regression models examined correlates of FCC use.

RESULTS: There were substantial differences in the prevalence of FCC use among adults who smoke across the five countries: Mexico (50.3% in 2021), Republic of Korea (31.8% in 2021), Malaysia (26.5% in 2020), Japan (21.6% in 2021) and Brazil (6.7% in 2016/2017). Correlates of FCC use varied across countries. Capsule use was positively associated with being female in Japan and Mexico, younger age in Japan, Republic of Korea and Malaysia, high education in Brazil, Japan and Mexico, non-daily smoking in Republic of Korea, and having plans to quit in Japan and Republic of Korea. There was no consistent pattern of consumer perceptions of brand harmfulness.

CONCLUSION: Our study documented the high prevalence of FCCs in some countries, pointing to the need to develop and implement regulatory strategies to control these attractive products.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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