Effects of non-tobacco flavors and nicotine on e-cigarette product appeal among young adult never, former, and current smokers.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:E-cigarette regulations targeting products that disproportionately appeal to never-smokers may optimize population health. This laboratory study of young adults tested whether differences in appeal between e-cigarettes with non-tobacco-flavored (vs. tobacco-flavored) and nicotine-containing (vs. nicotine-free) solutions varied by smoking history. METHODS:Current (N?=?53), former (N?=?25), and never (N?=?22) cigarette smokers who vape (Mean[SD] age?=?25.4[4.4] years) administered standardized e-cigarette doses varied by a Flavor (fruit, menthol, tobacco) × Nicotine (nicotine-containing [6?mg/mL], nicotine-free) within-subject double-blind design. Participants rated each dose's appeal (0-100 scale). Covariate-adjusted interactions tested whether smoking history moderated flavor and nicotine effects. RESULTS:Appeal was higher for fruit and menthol than tobacco flavors in each group. The fruit vs. tobacco appeal difference was greater in never smokers (fruit-tobacco estimate?=?19.6) than current smokers (estimate?=?12.1) but not former smokers (estimate?=?12.6). The menthol vs. tobacco difference was greater in never smokers (menthol-tobacco estimate?=?17.3) than former (estimate?=?6.0) and current (estimate?=?7.2) smokers. Appeal was lower for nicotine-containing than nicotine-free solutions in each group; this difference was greater in never smokers (nicotine-nicotine-free estimate?=?-17.3) than former (estimate?=?-7.0) and current (estimate?=?-10.6) smokers. Compared to tobacco flavors, nicotine's appeal-reducing effects were suppressed by fruit and menthol flavors in never smokers. CONCLUSIONS:Higher appeal of non-tobacco-flavored (vs. tobacco-flavored) and lower appeal of nicotine-containing (vs. nicotine-free) e-cigarettes may be widespread in young adults but disproportionately amplified in never smokers. Non-tobacco flavors may suppress nicotine's appeal-lowering qualities in never smokers. The impact of regulating non-tobacco flavors in e-cigarettes may vary by smoking history.
SUBMITTER: Leventhal AM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7489757 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
ACCESS DATA