Behavioral economic demand analysis: A multidimensional framework for understanding drug reinforcement and tobacco science.

Abstract

This analytic essay reviews the transition from unidimensional relative reinforcing efficacy to multidimensional behavioral economic demand analysis in drug reinforcement, focusing on tobacco science. It synthesizes operant laboratory studies in human smokers that use operant demand curve analysis. Reviewed studies used single- and concurrent-commodity sessions in which participants performed operant responses to earn the self-administration of controlled cigarettes puffs, and other commodities included money, and self-administration of denicotinized cigarette puffs, reduced-nicotine cigarette puffs, and nicotine gum. Unlike traditional measures purporting to assess relative reinforcing efficacy, demand curves showed multidimensional reinforcement. Operant demand studies resulted in findings relevant to tobacco science, therapeutics, and regulation. Despite greater demand for money at lower prices, cigarette puffs showed greater resistance to increasing prices. Denicotinized cigarette puffs were more effective substitutes (than nicotine gum) for nicotine-containing cigarettes. Reduced-nicotine and full-nicotine experimental cigarette exposure yielded modest, non-dose-dependent demand reductions. Greenwashing tactics increased demand intensity at low prices, enhancing unconstrained preference. Behavioral economic demand analysis offers a superior framework for understanding and assessing reinforcement over the concept of relative reinforcing efficacy. These findings underscore demand analysis as a versatile tool for investigating abuse liability, therapeutics, and tobacco regulatory science.