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This study examines how the American Legacy Foundation's 'truth(R)' campaign and Philip Morris's 'Think. Don't Smoke' (TDS) campaign have influenced youth's tobacco-related attitudes, beliefs and intentions during the first 3 years of the truth campaign. We use data from eight nationally representative cross-sectional telephone surveys of 35 074 12- to 17-year olds to estimate cross-sectional time series logistic regressions that assess the association between recall of truth and TDS and attitudes, beliefs, and intentions toward smoking. An alternative measure of exposure to TDS was also used. Findings indicate that exposure to truth advertisements (ads) was associated with steady positive changes in attitudes, beliefs and intentions to smoke, whereas exposure to Philip Morris ads was associated with more favorable beliefs and attitudes toward the tobacco industry. Our findings suggest that well-executed antismoking campaigns can positively and consistently change youth's beliefs and attitudes, whereas a tobacco industry-sponsored campaign can have a counterproductive influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate whether associations between anti-secondhand smoke (SHS) media, social cognitions about SHS, and home restrictions on smoking follow patterns observed in smoking behavior. Methods: Based on a nationally representative sample of 2348 US adults drawn from the American Legacy Foundation's American Smoking and Health Survey, we tested relationships among scales of anti-SHS media, social cognitions, and home restrictions. Results: We found anti-SHS media and SHS cognitions, as well as social cognitions and home restrictions, to be significantly associated. Social cognitions mediated the relationship between anti-SHS media and home restrictions. Conclusions Previously observed relation-ships between media, social cognitions, and smoking also exist for SHS. Anti-SHS media campaigns to increase home restrictions may help to reduce SHS exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: In early 2000, the American Legacy Foundation launched the national 'truth' campaign, the first national antismoking campaign to discourage tobacco use among youths. We studied the impact of the campaign on national smoking rates among US youths (students in grades 8, 10, and 12). METHODS: We used data from the Monitoring the Future survey in a pre/post quasi-experimental design to relate trends in youth smoking prevalence to varied doses of the 'truth' campaign in a national sample of approximately 50000 students in grades 8, 10, and 12, surveyed each spring from 1997 through 2002. RESULTS: Findings indicate that the campaign accounted for a significant portion of the recent decline in youth smoking prevalence. We found that smoking prevalence among all students declined from 25.3% to 18.0% between 1999 and 2002 and that the campaign accounted for approximately 22% of this decline. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the campaign was associated with substantial declines in youth smoking and has accelerated recent declines in youth smoking prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This study examines how the American Legacy Foundation's 'truth' campaign and Philip Morris's 'Think. Don't Smoke' campaign have influenced youths' attitudes, beliefs, and intentions toward tobacco. METHODS: We analyzed 2 telephone surveys of 12- to 17-year-olds with multivariate logistic regressions: a baseline survey conducted before the launch of 'truth' and a second survey 10 months into the 'truth' campaign. RESULTS: Exposure to 'truth' countermarketing advertisements was consistently associated with an increase in anti-tobacco attitudes and beliefs, whereas exposure to Philip Morris advertisements generally was not. In addition, those exposed to Philip Morris advertisements were more likely to be open to the idea of smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas exposure to the 'truth' campaign positively changed youths' attitudes toward tobacco, the Philip Morris campaign had a counterproductive influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides additional evidence that Florida's 'truth' tobacco countermarketing campaign was successful in reducing smoking among Florida teens. Smoking rates were substantially lower among Florida teens between fall 2001 and spring 2002, whereas previous studies found that smoking rates were comparable before the launch of 'truth.' Florida teens had higher levels of 'truth' campaign awareness and were more likely to agree with campaign-targeted beliefs; 2 of these beliefs were the only items associated with current smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on countermarketing efforts aimed at curbing youth smoking. We review the literature on the effectiveness of tobacco countermarketing campaigns, characterise current state and national campaign approaches, present findings from qualitative approaches and laboratory experiments that explore a variety of messages (for example, health consequences, industry manipulation), and discuss newer, non-traditional approaches to countermarketing. In conclusion, we outline research needed to fill gaps in our existing knowledge and discuss future directions in tobacco countermarketing aimed at youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]