Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS)

Project 4: Human Laboratory Research to Inform Precision Regulation of E-cigarettes Across Populations

Centers and Institutes

This project, known as TCORS Project 4, will identify dimensions of e-cigarette product diversity that put young adult never-smokers at risk of using e-cigarettes, yet do not deter middle/older adult smokers from adopting and potentially switching to e-cigarettes. In two studies, subjects will self-administer e-cigarette products varied according to three dimensions: flavor (e.g., sweet vs. menthol vs. tobacco); propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin ratio (e.g., 20:80 vs. 40:60 vs. 60:40 vs. 80:20); and packaging design (e-liquid characterizing flavor label [e.g., “peach”] vs. youth-oriented non-characterizing flavor [e.g., “gummy heaven”] vs. non-characterizing flavor + cartoon).

Project Aims

    Aim 1

    To determine which dimensions of e-cigarette product diversity differentially affect product appeal in never-smoking young adult e-cigarette users and middle-aged/older adult smokers with an interest in, but no significant experience with, e-cigarettes.

    Aim 2

    To determine which dimensions of e-cigarette product diversity differentially affect abuse liability in never-smoking young adult e-cigarette users and ability to resist smoking in middle-aged/older adult smokers with an interest in, but no significant experience with, e-cigarettes.

    Aim 3

    To examine sex differences in the effects of product diversity on appeal, abuse liability, and ability to resist smoking by testing sex and product dimension interactions.

    Principal Investigator

    Adam Leventhal, PhD

    Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences

    Director of the Institute for Addiction Science