Marketing for Prescription Products Helps Smokers Quit, While OTC Ads Don’t
New research finds that direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription smoking-cessation drugs significantly reduces cigarette use, while over-the-counter nicotine product ads do not. The findings suggest that advertising can either advance or undermine public health goals depending on the type of cessation therapy being promoted and the availability of insurance coverage.
A new peer-reviewed study in Marketing Science reveals that advertising for prescription smoking-cessation medications meaningfully decreases cigarette consumption, while ads for over-the-counter (OTC) nicotine replacement products may inadvertently hinder long-term quit rates. Conducted by researchers from the University of Washington and the University of Rochester, the study analyzed a decade’s worth of market-level data across the United States, correlating advertising exposure with prescription rates and retail sales of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs).
The results showed that direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription medications led to more prescriptions being filledand corresponded with notable declines in cigarette sales. Conversely, advertising for OTC cessation aids, such as patches and gum, failed to reduce cigarette use overall and often diverted smokers away from prescription options proven to be more effective.
Insurance coverage emerged as a key factor influencing outcomes. In markets with robust prescription drug coverage, ads for cessation medications resulted in stronger declines in cigarette sales. However, in areas with limited coverage, the same ads often pushed smokers toward OTC or alternative products, including e-cigarettes, which may not support sustained cessation. Simulations from the study estimated that a 10% reduction in prescription drug advertising could increase cigarette sales by 0.23%, equating to more than 21 million additional cigarette packs consumed. Click here to read more.
