Influence of electronic cigarette liquid flavors and nicotine concentration on subjective measures of abuse liability in young adult cigarette smokers. Drug Alcohol Depend 2019 Oct 01;203:27-34
Date
08/12/2019Pubmed ID
31401532Pubmed Central ID
PMC9307062DOI
10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.05.024Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85070232523 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 26 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: A rapidly evolving tobacco marketplace highlights the timeliness of the FDA's authority to regulate tobacco, specifically the role that flavorings in nicotine-containing electronic cigarette (ECIG) liquids have on public health. This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which ECIG liquid flavor and nicotine concentration influenced subjective measures of abuse liability among young adult cigarette (cig) smokers.
METHODS: Young adult (18-21 y.o.) smokers (M = 10.1 cig/day, no regular ECIG use history) completed 7 Latin-square ordered conditions each preceded by 12 h. nicotine/tobacco abstinence. Conditions were own brand cig (OB) and eGo-style ECIG paired with three liquid flavors (cream, tropical fruit, tobacco/menthol) varying in nicotine concentration (0 or 36 mg/ml). Products were administered in two 10-puff bouts in each condition. Heart rate/blood pressure (HR/BP) and tobacco/nicotine abstinence symptoms, nicotine/general drug effects, and acceptability measures were assessed repeatedly throughout sessions. Mixed linear models were followed-up with Tukey's HSD t-tests.
RESULTS: HR/BP indicated nicotine exposure during nicotine-containing conditions. OB and tobacco/menthol 36 mg/ml conditions produced significant decreases in ratings of cig smoking urges. Nicotine/drug effects were elevated significantly for OB and 36 mg/ml ECIG conditions with one exception noted for the tobacco/menthol 0 mg/ml condition. OB had the highest acceptability ratings, and ECIG condition results varied by acceptability item.
CONCLUSIONS: Among young adult smokers, ECIG conditions containing nicotine were positively associated with several subjective measures of abuse liability but not all. Flavors did not consistently mask/enhance effects observed. Results reinforce continued examination of ECIG-delivered nicotine and liquid flavors in relationship to abuse liability.
Author List
Cobb CO, Lopez AA, Soule EK, Yen MS, Rumsey H, Lester Scholtes R, Rudy AK, Lipato T, Guy M, Eissenberg TAuthor
Alexa Anderson PhD Associate Professor in the Nursing department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentDouble-Blind Method
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
Female
Flavoring Agents
Heart Rate
Humans
Male
Menthol
Nicotine
Smokers
Taste
Vaping
Young Adult
