Table 2. Themes and the related codes concerning the study’s main research questions.

Theme	Related codes
Research Question 1: As of 2023, what VR content, if any, would address the beliefs of adult smokers and be acceptable to them?
Theme 1-VR content rationale: The rewards from smoking today outweigh the potential health consequences of the future.	• Theoretical consequences • Perpetually postponed or no plans to quit. • Positive evaluative judgements	• Negative/ positive smoker identity • Always trying to quit • Real and virtual health consequences.
Theme 2- VR content: Using personalised “coming of age” stories to elicit hope or regret.	• Content that looks into the future • Content- benefits of cessation • Yourself as the VR protagonist • Clinical virtual environment • Family influences on smoking	• Family as supporting VR characters. • Real and virtual health consequences • Tailoring for each VR user
Theme 3- VR content: Using horror stories to elicit fear.	• Nightmarish content • Trigger warnings	• Increasing VR immersion • Real and virtual health consequences
Theme 4- VR content execution: Exploit VR’s technological capabilities.	• Tailoring for each VR user • Increasing VR immersion	• Not “gimmicky” • Not boring cessation leaflets and advertisements
Research Question 2: In 2023, what were the various views of adult smokers on VR generally and using VR to encourage a quit attempt?
Theme 5- Smoking cessation VR as a health service treatment	• Clinical/ community implementation locations • Evidenced-based VR • Safeguarding • VR enjoyment	• VR as an adjunct • Dissatisfying encounters with cessation professionals and services • Barriers to using VR at home • Renting VR headsets
Theme 6- What happens after: Using VR for long-term cessation support.	• Social life and smoking • Environmental and mental cues • Motives- wants and needs • Educational content • Smoking alternatives	• VR is a temporary fix • Habits • Always trying to quit • Preferred advice- cutting down • Long-term VR meditational content