Health BehaviorNCT07458607
UNC Tobacco Convenience Store
A study testing Menthol ban + campaign and Menthol ban in people with Health Behavior, run by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The main purpose of this trial is to evaluate the impact of a menthol cigarette ban accompanied by a quit smoking campaign on tobacco purchasing behavior. Investigators will conduct a randomized clinical trial with ~1,185 US adults (ages 21+ years) who currently smoke menthol cigarettes. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 21 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Health Behavior
- What is being tested?
- Menthol ban + campaign and Menthol ban
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1,185 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 20 Apr 2026to Apr 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 21 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Are ages 21 years and older
- Smoke cigarettes currently (i.e. currently smoke some days or every day and have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime)
- Smoke menthol cigarettes
- Purchased menthol cigarettes in a store in the past month
- Read and speak English
- Can complete a survey on a computer without help
- Can receive images by text message
- Can attend 2 in-person appointments involving shopping tasks and computer surveys
Who cannot join
- Are pregnant
- Are breastfeeding
- Enrolled currently in another research study about quitting smoking
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
UNC Mini Mart
Raleigh, North Carolina, 27609
UNC Mini Mart Office UNC Mini Mart, 919-966-0233, minimartstudy@unc.edu
Marissa Hall, PhD
About this study
Official title: UNC Tobacco Convenience Store Study
The main purpose of this trial is to evaluate the impact of a menthol cigarette ban accompanied by a quit smoking campaign on tobacco purchasing behavior. Investigators will conduct a randomized clinical trial with ~1,185 US adults (ages 21+ years) who currently smoke menthol cigarettes.
Read the detailed description
This trial aims to determine whether a quit smoking campaign amplifies the impact of a simulated menthol cigarette ban. The trial will enroll ~1,185 adults ages 21 years and older who currently smoke menthol cigarettes. Participants will attend 2 in-person study visits at our experimental store, spaced approximately 1 week apart. The store will be stocked with a variety of tobacco products, food, non-alcoholic beverages, and household goods. At the first visit, participants will provide written informed consent and will be randomized to 1 of 3 trial arms, described further below. At both study visits, participants will shop for items in the store and complete computer surveys. Researchers will record in-store purchases and other self-reported measures will be assessed via the computer surveys. In between the in-person study visits, participants will receive ads via text message based on their trial arm.
- Conditions
- Health Behavior
- Being tested
- Menthol ban + campaign, Menthol ban, Control
- Medical subject headings
- Health Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Menthol ban + campaignBehavioural
Menthol cigarettes and flavored little cigars and cigarillos will not be available for purchase in the store. Participants will receive quit smoking campaign ads via text message. These ads will also be displayed inside the store during the shopping tasks.
Menthol banBehavioural
Menthol cigarettes and flavored little cigars and cigarillos will not be available for purchase in the store. Participants will receive control ads about a neutral topic (i.e., password security) via text message. These ads will also be displayed inside the store during the shopping tasks.
ControlBehavioural
Menthol cigarettes and flavored little cigars and cigarillos will be available for purchase in the store. Participants will receive control ads about a neutral topic (i.e., password security) via text message. These ads will also be displayed inside the store during the shopping tasks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Menthol ban + campaign | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Menthol ban + campaign |
| Menthol ban | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Menthol ban |
| Control | Other | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Purchasing any combustible tobacco products
Measured using purchase data for combustible tobacco products, defined as any cigarettes or little cigars and cigarillos. Response options are "No" (coded as 0) and "Yes" (coded as 1).
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Secondary outcomes (11)
Expenditures on combustible tobacco products
Measured using purchase data for combustible tobacco products, defined as any cigarettes or little cigars and cigarillos. This measure is in US dollars, ranging from $0 to $70.
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Purchasing any non-combustible tobacco products (substitution effects)
Measured using purchase data on whether participants bought any non-combustible tobacco products, defined as any e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or nicotine pouches. Response options are "No" (coded as 0) and "Yes" (coded as 1).
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Attempted to quit smoking
Measured using 1 survey item: "In the last week, did you stop smoking cigarettes for 1 day or longer because you were trying to quit smoking?" Response options are "No" coded as 0) and "Yes" (coded as 1).
Measured: Assessed 1 time, approximately 1 week after enrollment.
Forgoing cigarette use
Measured using 2 survey items (e.g., " In the last week, how often have you stopped yourself from having a cigarette because you wanted to smoke less?"). The 5-point response scale ranges from "Never" coded as 0, to "10 or more times", coded as 10. Researchers will average responses to the 2 survey items to create a scale score. Higher scores indicate greater frequency of forgoing cigarettes.
Measured: Assessed 1 time, approximately 1 week after enrollment.
Intentions to quit smoking
Measured using 3 survey items (e.g., "How interested are you in quitting smoking cigarettes in the next 4 weeks?"). The 4-point response scale ranges from low intentions (coded as 1) to high intentions (coded as 4). Researchers will average responses to the 3 survey items to create a scale score. Higher scores indicate greater intentions to quit smoking.
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Injunctive norms for quitting smoking
Measured using 3 survey items (e.g., "People who are important to me think I should quit smoking."). The 5-point response scale ranges from "Strongly disagree" (coded as 1) to "Strongly agree" (coded as 5). Researchers will average responses to the 3 survey items to create a scale score. Higher scores indicate greater injunctive norms for quitting smoking.
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Targeted benefits of quitting smoking
Measured using 6 survey items (e.g., "If you were to stop smoking, how likely would you be to get more quality time with loved ones?"). The 5-point response scale ranges from "Not at all likely" (coded as 1) to "Extremely likely" (coded as 5). Researchers will average responses to the 7 survey items to create a scale score. Higher scores indicate greater targeted benefits of quitting smoking.
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Reactance towards cigarette options
Measured using 3 survey items (e.g., "I was annoyed by the cigarette options in the Mini Mart."). The 5-point response scale ranges from "Strongly disagree" (coded as 1) to "Strongly agree" (coded as 5). Researchers will average responses to the 3 survey items to create a scale score. Higher scores indicate greater reactance toward cigarette options.
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Reactance towards ads
Measured using 3 survey items (e.g., "The ads annoyed me."). The 5-point response scale ranging from "Strongly disagree" (coded as 1) to "Strongly agree" (coded as 5). Researchers will average responses to the 3 survey items to create a scale score. Higher scores indicate greater reactance toward ads.
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Stigma from cigarette options
Measured using 1 survey item (i.e., "How much did the cigarette options in the Mini Mart make you feel judged by other people for smoking?"). The 5-point response scale ranges from "Not at all" (coded as 1) to "A great deal" (coded as 5) to create a scale score. Higher scores indicate greater stigma from cigarette options.
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Stigma from ads
Measured using 1 survey item (i.e., "How much did the ads make you feel judged by other people for smoking?"). The 5-point response scale ranges from "Not at all" (coded as 1) to "A great deal" (coded as 5). Higher scores indicate greater stigma from ads.
Measured: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Mar 2026
- Study start20 Apr 2026
- Primary completionApr 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionApr 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Health BehaviorStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 1,185 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Marissa G. Hall, PhD, Study director, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07458607
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 24-0398
- Other IDs
- U54DA060049
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 4 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 27 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- UNC Tobacco Convenience Store Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07458607
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 24-0398
- Conditions
- Health Behavior
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 1,185 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of North Carolina, Chapel HillUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Study start
- 20 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Apr 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Apr 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The main purpose of this trial is to evaluate the impact of a menthol cigarette ban accompanied by a quit smoking campaign on tobacco purchasing behavior. Investigators will conduct a randomized clinical trial with ~1,185 US adults (ages 21+ years) who currently smoke menthol cigarettes.
Detailed description
This trial aims to determine whether a quit smoking campaign amplifies the impact of a simulated menthol cigarette ban. The trial will enroll ~1,185 adults ages 21 years and older who currently smoke menthol cigarettes. Participants will attend 2 in-person study visits at our experimental store, spaced approximately 1 week apart. The store will be stocked with a variety of tobacco products, food, non-alcoholic beverages, and household goods. At the first visit, participants will provide written informed consent and will be randomized to 1 of 3 trial arms, described further below. At both study visits, participants will shop for items in the store and complete computer surveys. Researchers will record in-store purchases and other self-reported measures will be assessed via the computer surveys. In between the in-person study visits, participants will receive ads via text message based on their trial arm.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Menthol ban + campaign | Experimental | Behavioral: Menthol ban + campaign |
| Menthol ban | Experimental | Behavioral: Menthol ban |
| Control | Other | Behavioral: Control |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 21 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Are ages 21 years and older
- Smoke cigarettes currently (i.e. currently smoke some days or every day and have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime)
- Smoke menthol cigarettes
- Purchased menthol cigarettes in a store in the past month
- Read and speak English
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Are pregnant
- Are breastfeeding
- Enrolled currently in another research study about quitting smoking
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Menthol ban + campaignMenthol cigarettes and flavored little cigars and cigarillos will not be available for purchase in the store. Participants will receive quit smoking campaign ads via text message. These ads will also be displayed inside the store during the shopping tasks. | Behavioural | Menthol ban + campaign |
| Menthol banMenthol cigarettes and flavored little cigars and cigarillos will not be available for purchase in the store. Participants will receive control ads about a neutral topic (i.e., password security) via text message. These ads will also be displayed inside the store during the shopping tasks. | Behavioural | Menthol ban |
| ControlMenthol cigarettes and flavored little cigars and cigarillos will be available for purchase in the store. Participants will receive control ads about a neutral topic (i.e., password security) via text message. These ads will also be displayed inside the store during the shopping tasks. | Behavioural | Control |
Primary outcome
Purchasing any combustible tobacco products
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Measured using purchase data for combustible tobacco products, defined as any cigarettes or little cigars and cigarillos. Response options are "No" (coded as 0) and "Yes" (coded as 1).
11 secondary outcomes
Expenditures on combustible tobacco products
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Purchasing any non-combustible tobacco products (substitution effects)
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Attempted to quit smoking
Time frame: Assessed 1 time, approximately 1 week after enrollment.
Forgoing cigarette use
Time frame: Assessed 1 time, approximately 1 week after enrollment.
Intentions to quit smoking
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Injunctive norms for quitting smoking
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Targeted benefits of quitting smoking
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Reactance towards cigarette options
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Reactance towards ads
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Stigma from cigarette options
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Stigma from ads
Time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Apr 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Marissa G. Hall, PhD study director
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Menthol ban + campaign and Menthol ban in people with Health Behavior, run by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 8 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Purchasing any combustible tobacco products (time frame: Assessed 2 times approximately 1-week apart, starting on the day of enrollment.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Apr 2026.