New Zealand has among the highest rates of roll your own (RYO) tobacco use internationally; RYO causes particular harm to Māori, young adults, and people experiencing lower material wellbeing. Current policies have reduced price differentials between RYO tobacco and tailor made cigarettes; however, this approach may have led some people who use RYO tobacco to forgo essential items, such as food or power. We have tested a new approach using novel pictorial warnings based on themes identified in whānau interviews and efficacy messages, designed to increase confidence in quitting and belief in the benefits becoming smokefree will bring. We have explored views held by Māori and non-Māori, to develop and test RYO-specific high-affect warnings, and a how these affect users’ beliefs and quitting behaviours when combined with efficacy messages.
Using findings from whānau and in-depth interviews, we have identified optimal warnings and efficacy messages. We are next undertaking a survey to test the communication effectiveness of these stimuli, and a choice experiment, where we will compare individual stimuli and interactions between these. The findings will provide new insights into how tailored RYO warnings and efficacy messages influence cessation-related beliefs and behaviours among people who use RYO tobacco.
Funding
Health Research Council (HRC) (2019)
Lead investigator
Janet Hoek
Project team members
Mei-Ling Blank
Lani Teddy
Anaru Waa
Christine Eckert
Paul Burke