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
James F Thrasher,
Filippos T Filippidis,
Geoffrey T Fong,
Takahiro Tabuchi,
Anne C K Quah,
Pete Driezen,
Hong Gwan Seo,
Christina N Kyriakos,
Kota Katanoda,
Olufemi Erinoso,
Farizah Mohd Hairi,
Cristina de Abreu Perez,
Su Young Kim,
Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin
Affiliations
James F Thrasher
5 Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
Filippos T Filippidis
17 Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London School of Public Health, London, UK
Geoffrey T Fong
15 School of Public Health Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Takahiro Tabuchi
Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
Anne C K Quah
4 Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Pete Driezen
3 School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Hong Gwan Seo
9 Department of Family Medicine, National Cancer Center, Goyang, South Korea
Christina N Kyriakos
1 Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
Kota Katanoda
6 Division of Cancer Statistics Integration, Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center Japan, Chuo-ku, Japan
Olufemi Erinoso
2 University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
Farizah Mohd Hairi
12 Nicotine Addiction Research Group, Centre of Addiction Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Cristina de Abreu Perez
8 National School of Public Health Sérgio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Su Young Kim
11 National Tobacco Control Center, Korean Health Promotion Institute, Seoul, South Korea
Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin
12 Nicotine Addiction Research Group, Centre of Addiction Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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.
