Tobacco Product Beliefs and UseNCT07773415
The Impact of Cigar Pack Marketing With "Natural" Themes on Young Adults
A study testing Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit, Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit and Natural Descriptor Type - Absent in people with Tobacco Product Beliefs and Use, run by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Trial summary
The goal of this online survey experiment is to examine the effect of "natural" descriptors and images on cigar packs among young adults (ages 18-34) who have either used cigars in the past year or are non-users who are susceptible to use. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 34 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Tobacco Product Beliefs and Use
- What is being tested?
- Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit, Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit and Natural Descriptor Type - Absent
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 3,500 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Aug 2026to Nov 2026
- 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 18 to 34 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- English survey takers in the US
- Age: Young adults ages 18-34
- Cigar Experience: Study aims to include a mix of young adults who have:
- ever used any type of cigar or cigarillo (including for blunt use)
- used any type of cigar or cigarillo in the past 12 months (including for blunt use)
- never used, but are susceptible to using any type of cigar or cigarillo in the future. Susceptible is defined as people who respond "definitely yes", probably yes" or "probably not" (vs. "definitely not" responses) to any of four questions asking prospective participants if they have 1) ever been curious about cigar/cigarillos, 2) if they think they will try a cigar/cigarillo soon 3) if they think they will use a cigar/cigarillo in the next year and 4) if they would use a cigar/cigarillo if they were offered one by a best friend.
Who cannot join
- Research panel participants who do not meet the criteria outlined above will be excluded.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Michelle Jeong, PhD contact
About this study
Official title: Impact of Cigar Marketing With "Natural" Themes
The goal of this online survey experiment is to examine the effect of "natural" descriptors and images on cigar packs among young adults (ages 18-34) who have either used cigars in the past year or are non-users who are susceptible to use. The study will compare effects of cigar pack images with or without "natural" descriptors (that explicitly say "natural" vs. imply naturalness with the word "leaf"), with or without "natural" images (such as leaves), and with or without images of cigar sticks (that are rough-cut (e.g., darker wrapper color with more visible leaf lines) vs. smooth) on product perceptions, intentions to use cigars, and recall.
Participants will be randomized to one of 18 conditions and will be shown four cigar pack images from various brands within their condition. After seeing the images, they will complete survey questions assessing product perceptions, intentions, and recall, and will complete other embedded tasks in the survey, before being debriefed about the harms of cigars.
- Conditions
- Tobacco Product Beliefs and Use
- Being tested
- Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit, Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit, Natural Descriptor Type - Absent, Natural Imagery - Present, Natural Imagery - Absent
- Keywords
- cigars, cigarillos, tobacco marketing, natural claims
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Natural Descriptor Type - ExplicitBehavioural
Participants will view cigar packs with descriptors which explicitly refer to "naturalness" (i.e., "natural" or "natural leaf")
Natural Descriptor Type - ImplicitBehavioural
Participants will view cigar packs which do not use the word "natural, but use "leaf" descriptors, which may implicitly refer to "naturalness"
Natural Descriptor Type - AbsentBehavioural
Participants will view cigar packs which do not use any "natural" or "leaf" descriptors
Natural Imagery - PresentBehavioural
Participants will view cigar packs which include imagery that may communicate themes of "naturalness" (e.g., images of leaves)
Natural Imagery - AbsentBehavioural
Participants will view cigar packs without imagery that may communicate themes of "naturalness" (e.g., leaves)
Cigar Image Type - SmoothBehavioural
Participants will view cigar packs featuring an image of smooth-cut cigars on them.
Cigar Image Type - Rough CutBehavioural
Participants will view cigar packs featuring an image of rough-cut cigars on them.
Cigar Image Type - NoneBehavioural
Participants will view cigar packs which do not show any images of cigars on them.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors, natural themed imagery (like leaves), and images of smooth cut cigars on them. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Smooth |
| Group 2 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors, natural themed imagery (like leaves), and images of rough-cut cigars on them. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough Cut |
| Group 3 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors and natural themed imagery (like leaves), but are absent of cigar images. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - None |
| Group 4 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors and images of smooth cut cigars, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves). Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit |
| Group 5 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors and rough-cut cigar images, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves). Receives: Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough Cut |
| Group 6 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves) and cigar images. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - None |
| Group 7: Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural" descriptors (i.e., "leaf"), natural themed imagery (like leaves) and smooth cigar images. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Smooth |
| Group 8 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural" descriptors (i.e., "leaf"), natural themed imagery (like leaves) and rough-cut cigar images. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough Cut |
| Group 9 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural" descriptors, natural themed imagery (like leaves), and no cigar image Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - None |
| Group 10 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural descriptors" (i.e., "leaf") and smooth cigar images, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves). Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Smooth |
| Group 11 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural descriptors" (i.e., "leaf") and rough-cut cigar images, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves). Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough Cut |
| Group 12 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural" descriptors, absent natural themed imagery (like leaves), and absent cigar image.
Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural descriptors" (i.e., "leaf"), but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves) and cigar images. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - None |
| Group 13: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include natural themed imagery (like leaves) and smooth cigar images, but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf"). Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Smooth |
| Group 14 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include natural themed imagery (like leaves) and rough-cut cigar images, but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf"). Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough Cut |
| Group 15: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigars | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include natural themed imagery (like leaves), but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf") and of cigar images. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - None |
| Group 16: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include smooth cigar images, but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf") and of natural themed imagery (like leaves). Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Smooth |
| Group 17 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-Cut Cigars) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include rough-cut cigar images, but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf") and of natural themed imagery (like leaves). Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough Cut |
| Group 18 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image) | Experimental | Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf"), natural themed imagery (like leaves), and of cigar images. Receives: Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent; Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent; Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - None |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Product Perceptions: Naturalness
Assessment of perceived "naturalness" of the viewed cigar product. Responses to 3 parallel questions (each asking about a different perception related to "naturalness") will be averaged together in a composite item. The question states: "To what extent, if at all, do you think this product would...: 1) Be pure? 2) Be additive-free? 3) Be organic?". Responses to each will be on a 5-point scale (from 1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal), and responses will be averaged across the three items. Higher scores indicate perceiving the viewed cigar product as more synonymous with "natural."
Measured: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Risk Perceptions: Exposure to Harmful Chemicals
Assessment of perceived risk of being exposed to harmful chemicals if they use the viewed product: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would expose users to harmful chemicals?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed product would expose users to harmful chemicals to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
General Perceived Harmfulness
Assessment of the general perceived harmfulness of the viewed cigar product: "To what extent, if at all, do you think this product would be harmful to health?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar product would be harmful to health, to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Relative Harm Perceptions
Assessment of perceived harmfulness of the viewed cigar products relative to cigarettes: "How harmful to health do you think these products are compared to cigarettes?" (1=a lot less harmful, 2=somewhat less harmful, 3=about as harmful, 4=somewhat more harmful, 5=a lot more harmful). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products are more harmful than cigarettes.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Attractiveness
Assessment of perceived attractiveness of the viewed cigar products: "How attractive, if at all, are these packs to you?" (1=not at all attractive, 2=not very attractive, 3=somewhat attractive, 4=very attractive, 5=extremely attractive). Higher scores mean perceiving the viewed cigar products as attractive to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Secondary outcomes (10)
Product Perceptions: Satisfying
Assessment of perceived satisfaction from using the viewed cigar product: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would be satisfying?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar product would be satisfying to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Product Perceptions: Harshness
Assessment of the perceived extent to which the viewed cigar product will be harsh tasting: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would be harsh tasting?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar product would be harsh tasting to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Future Use Interest
Assessment of interest in using the viewed cigar products in the near future: "Thinking about the products you just saw, how interested, if at all, are you in using any of them in the next 6 months?" (1=not at all interested, 2=not very interested, 3=somewhat interested, 4=very interested, 5=extremely interested). Higher scores indicate a greater level of interest in using the viewed cigar products.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Susceptibility
Three item measures that will be assessed together to assess future susceptibility to using the viewed cigar products: 1) "Thinking about the products you just saw, do you think that you will try any of them soon?"; 2) "Thinking about the products you just saw, do you think that you will use any of them in the next year?"; 3) "If one of your best friends were to offer you any of the products you saw, would you try them?" Each item will be assessed on a 4-point scale (1=definitely not, 2=probably not, 3=probably yes, 4=definitely yes). If indicated anything other than "definitely not" to all three items, participants will be considered "susceptible" to future use of the viewed cigar products.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product perceptions: Taste
Assessment of perceived taste of the viewed cigar products: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would taste good?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would taste good, to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Youth Appeal
Assessment of perceived extent to which the viewed cigar products would appeal to young people: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would appeal to young people?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would appeal to young people to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Expensive
Assessment of perceived extent to which the viewed cigar products would be expensive: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would be expensive?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would be expensive, to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: High Quality
Assessment of perceived quality of the tobacco in the viewed cigar products: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would contain higher quality tobacco" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would contain tobacco that is of higher quality.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Addictiveness
Assessment of perceived addictiveness of the viewed cigar products: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would be addictive?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would be addictive to a greater extent.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Recall
Assessment of recall of six various elements that may or may not be on the viewed cigar products: "Please indicate if the pack images you saw earlier included the following: 1) a health warning label, 2) the word "natural," 3) the word "leaf," 4) a picture of the cigar stick, 5) leaf images or designs, 6) the word "premium." (1=yes, 2=no, 3=not sure). Recall of each element will be assessed separately. Responses of "yes" indicate recall of the element, while "no" and "not sure" indicate no recall.
Measured: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Aug 2026
- Study startAug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionNov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionNov 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Tobacco Product Beliefs and UseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Factorial
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 3,500 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Olivia A. Wackowski, PhD, MPH, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Investigators
- Olivia A. Wackowski, PhD, MPH, Principal investigator, Rutgers UniversityMichelle Jeong, PhD, Principal investigator, Rutgers University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07773415
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Pro2024001765
- Other IDs
- R01CA292455
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 5 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 19 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: The study stimuli, survey instrument, codebook, and de-identified dataset will be deposited to a data repository - we anticipate this will be the National Addiction and HIV Data Archive Program (NAHDAP), currently managed by ICPSR at the University of Michigan.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Impact of Cigar Marketing With "Natural" Themes
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07773415
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Pro2024001765
- Conditions
- Tobacco Product Beliefs and Use
- Keywords
- cigars, cigarillos, tobacco marketing, natural claims
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 3,500 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Study start
- Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Nov 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Aug 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 goal of this online survey experiment is to examine the effect of "natural" descriptors and images on cigar packs among young adults (ages 18-34) who have either used cigars in the past year or are non-users who are susceptible to use. The study will compare effects of cigar pack images with or without "natural" descriptors (that explicitly say "natural" vs. imply naturalness with the word "leaf"), with or without "natural" images (such as leaves), and with or without images of cigar sticks (that are rough-cut (e.g., darker wrapper color with more visible leaf lines) vs. smooth) on product perceptions, intentions to use cigars, and recall.
Participants will be randomized to one of 18 conditions and will be shown four cigar pack images from various brands within their condition. After seeing the images, they will complete survey questions assessing product perceptions, intentions, and recall, and will complete other embedded tasks in the survey, before being debriefed about the harms of cigars.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 18
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - SmoothParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors, natural themed imagery (like leaves), and images of smooth cut cigars on them. |
| Group 2 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough CutParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors, natural themed imagery (like leaves), and images of rough-cut cigars on them. |
| Group 3 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - NoneParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors and natural themed imagery (like leaves), but are absent of cigar images. |
| Group 4 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - ExplicitParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors and images of smooth cut cigars, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves). |
| Group 5 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough CutParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors and rough-cut cigar images, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves). |
| Group 6 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - NoneParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include "natural" descriptors, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves) and cigar images. |
| Group 7: Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - SmoothParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural" descriptors (i.e., "leaf"), natural themed imagery (like leaves) and smooth cigar images. |
| Group 8 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough CutParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural" descriptors (i.e., "leaf"), natural themed imagery (like leaves) and rough-cut cigar images. |
| Group 9 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - NoneParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural" descriptors, natural themed imagery (like leaves), and no cigar image |
| Group 10 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - SmoothParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural descriptors" (i.e., "leaf") and smooth cigar images, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves). |
| Group 11 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough CutParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural descriptors" (i.e., "leaf") and rough-cut cigar images, but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves). |
| Group 12 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - NoneParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural" descriptors, absent natural themed imagery (like leaves), and absent cigar image. Participants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include implicit "natural descriptors" (i.e., "leaf"), but are absent of natural themed imagery (like leaves) and cigar images. |
| Group 13: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - SmoothParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include natural themed imagery (like leaves) and smooth cigar images, but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf"). |
| Group 14 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough CutParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include natural themed imagery (like leaves) and rough-cut cigar images, but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf"). |
| Group 15: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigars | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Present, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - NoneParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include natural themed imagery (like leaves), but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf") and of cigar images. |
| Group 16: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - SmoothParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include smooth cigar images, but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf") and of natural themed imagery (like leaves). |
| Group 17 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-Cut Cigars) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - Rough CutParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that each include rough-cut cigar images, but are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf") and of natural themed imagery (like leaves). |
| Group 18 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image) | Experimental | Behavioral: Natural Descriptor Type - Absent, Behavioral: Natural Imagery - Absent, Behavioral: Cigar Image Type - NoneParticipants in this group will view 4 cigar packs that are absent of "natural" descriptors (i.e., "natural" or "leaf"), natural themed imagery (like leaves), and of cigar images. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 34 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- English survey takers in the US
- Age: Young adults ages 18-34
- Cigar Experience: Study aims to include a mix of young adults who have:
- ever used any type of cigar or cigarillo (including for blunt use)
- used any type of cigar or cigarillo in the past 12 months (including for blunt use)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Research panel participants who do not meet the criteria outlined above will be excluded.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Descriptor Type - ExplicitParticipants will view cigar packs with descriptors which explicitly refer to "naturalness" (i.e., "natural" or "natural leaf") | Behavioural | Group 1 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars), Group 2 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 3 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image), Group 4 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars), Group 6 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image) |
| Natural Descriptor Type - ImplicitParticipants will view cigar packs which do not use the word "natural, but use "leaf" descriptors, which may implicitly refer to "naturalness" | Behavioural | Group 10 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars), Group 11 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars), Group 12 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigars), Group 7: Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars, Group 8 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 9 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image) |
| Natural Descriptor Type - AbsentParticipants will view cigar packs which do not use any "natural" or "leaf" descriptors | Behavioural | Group 13: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars, Group 14 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 15: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigars, Group 16: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars, Group 17 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 18 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image) |
| Natural Imagery - PresentParticipants will view cigar packs which include imagery that may communicate themes of "naturalness" (e.g., images of leaves) | Behavioural | Group 1 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars), Group 13: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars, Group 14 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 15: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigars, Group 2 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 3 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image), Group 7: Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars, Group 8 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 9 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image) |
| Natural Imagery - AbsentParticipants will view cigar packs without imagery that may communicate themes of "naturalness" (e.g., leaves) | Behavioural | Group 10 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars), Group 11 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars), Group 12 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigars), Group 16: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars, Group 17 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 18 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image), Group 5 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars), Group 6 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image) |
| Cigar Image Type - SmoothParticipants will view cigar packs featuring an image of smooth-cut cigars on them. | Behavioural | Group 1 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars), Group 10 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars), Group 13: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars, Group 16: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Smooth Cigars, Group 7: Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Smooth Cigars |
| Cigar Image Type - Rough CutParticipants will view cigar packs featuring an image of rough-cut cigars on them. | Behavioural | Group 11 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars), Group 14 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 17 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 2 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars), Group 5 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, Rough-cut cigars), Group 8 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, Rough-Cut Cigars) |
| Cigar Image Type - NoneParticipants will view cigar packs which do not show any images of cigars on them. | Behavioural | Group 12 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigars), Group 15: Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigars, Group 18 (Absent Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image), Group 3 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image), Group 6 (Explicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Absent, No Cigar Image), Group 9 (Implicit Descriptor, Natural Imagery Present, No Cigar Image) |
Primary outcome
Product Perceptions: Naturalness
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Assessment of perceived "naturalness" of the viewed cigar product. Responses to 3 parallel questions (each asking about a different perception related to "naturalness") will be averaged together in a composite item. The question states: "To what extent, if at all, do you think this product would...: 1) Be pure? 2) Be additive-free? 3) Be organic?". Responses to each will be on a 5-point scale (from 1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal), and responses will be averaged across the three items. Higher scores indicate perceiving the viewed cigar product as more synonymous with "natural."
Risk Perceptions: Exposure to Harmful Chemicals
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Assessment of perceived risk of being exposed to harmful chemicals if they use the viewed product: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would expose users to harmful chemicals?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed product would expose users to harmful chemicals to a greater extent.
General Perceived Harmfulness
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Assessment of the general perceived harmfulness of the viewed cigar product: "To what extent, if at all, do you think this product would be harmful to health?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar product would be harmful to health, to a greater extent.
Relative Harm Perceptions
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Assessment of perceived harmfulness of the viewed cigar products relative to cigarettes: "How harmful to health do you think these products are compared to cigarettes?" (1=a lot less harmful, 2=somewhat less harmful, 3=about as harmful, 4=somewhat more harmful, 5=a lot more harmful). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products are more harmful than cigarettes.
Product Perceptions: Attractiveness
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Assessment of perceived attractiveness of the viewed cigar products: "How attractive, if at all, are these packs to you?" (1=not at all attractive, 2=not very attractive, 3=somewhat attractive, 4=very attractive, 5=extremely attractive). Higher scores mean perceiving the viewed cigar products as attractive to a greater extent.
10 secondary outcomes
Product Perceptions: Satisfying
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Product Perceptions: Harshness
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Future Use Interest
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Susceptibility
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product perceptions: Taste
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Youth Appeal
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Expensive
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: High Quality
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Addictiveness
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Recall
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
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 19 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. The study stimuli, survey instrument, codebook, and de-identified dataset will be deposited to a data repository - we anticipate this will be the National Addiction and HIV Data Archive Program (NAHDAP), currently managed by ICPSR at the University of Michigan.
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.
Michelle Jeong, PhD contact
Olivia A. Wackowski, PhD, MPH principal investigator
Rutgers University
Michelle Jeong, PhD principal investigator
Rutgers University
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Natural Descriptor Type - Explicit, Natural Descriptor Type - Implicit and Natural Descriptor Type - Absent in people with Tobacco Product Beliefs and Use, run by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
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 6 inclusion and 1 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
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?
Contact Olivia A Wackowski, PhD, MPH (732-848-9328, olivia.wackowski@rutgers.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Product Perceptions: Naturalness (time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. 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 19 Aug 2026.