Associations between emotional tobacco brand attachment and quitting plans among Norwegian smokers and snus users

Psychol Addict Behav. 2019 Sep;33(6):561-566. doi: 10.1037/adb0000499.

Abstract

While most tobacco users want to quit using tobacco, only a small minority succeed in quitting. Affective attitudes might influence health-related intentions and behavior. Emotional attachment to tobacco brands is an aspect of such affective attitudes. The aim of this study is to investigate emotional attachment to the personal snus or cigarette pack, as well as associations with quitting plans, among snus users and smokers. A sample of 1,450 smokers and 1,423 snus users (16-83 years, mean age 41 years, 41% women) was recruited from a web panel and weighted according to national statistics on smoking and snus use. Positive package-related feelings loaded on a single component in principal component analysis. Multinomial adjusted regressions were performed for smokers and snus users, with quitting plans as the dependent variable (no quitting plan, plan to quit within 6 months, plan to quit later) and emotional attachment as an independent variable. Smokers and snus users often endorsed statements expressing positive feelings related to buying and using their choice of tobacco brand, with endorsements ranging from 17% to 73%. Adjusted multinomial regressions showed that emotional attachment was associated with lower likelihood of planning to quit smoking within the next 6 months (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.68, p < .001) and lower likelihood of planning to quit snus use within the next 6 months (AOR = 0.54, p < .001) or later (AOR = 0.81, p < .01). Emotional attachment to tobacco brands is negatively associated with quitting plans among smokers and snus users. Policies to reduce brand attachment might lead to increased quitting plans and potentially increased quit attempts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Association*
  • Emotions*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motivation*
  • Norway
  • Odds Ratio
  • Smoking / psychology*
  • Smoking Cessation / psychology*
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / psychology*
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / rehabilitation
  • Tobacco, Smokeless*
  • Young Adult