Principal Investigator(s): Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin

Funding Mechanism: National Institutes of Health – TCORS Grant

ID number: 2 U54 DA036151-06

Award Date: 8/15/18

Institution: Yale University

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Evidence suggests that younger tobacco users have a greater preference for flavors compared with older tobacco users. Furthermore, youth who are initiating tobacco use often report the availability of appealing flavors as one of the primary reasons for trying and using certain tobacco/nicotine products, like e-cigarettes, cigars and hookahs. Flavors could alter the appeal and abuse potential of nicotine/tobacco either through offering appealing aroma or taste or by ameliorating aversive characteristics of tobacco/nicotine. The goal of this project is to conduct two studies to determine the influence of the “aroma and taste” and “ameliorating” attributes of popular sweet and menthol flavors on the appeal and use of e-cigarettes. Study 1 will examine the influence of brief exposures to sweet, cool and tobacco flavors (and combinations) on the appeal and abuse potential of e-cigarettes containing nicotine concentrations varying in harshness (3 and 12 mg/ml), among 60 youth (aged 16-20), who have tried e-cigarettes, do not use regularly, but plan to continue use in the future. This study will provide useful information about the influence of sensory responses to flavors on the appeal of e-cigarettes among new users. This study will also explore whether sensory responses to flavors predict emergence of e-cigarette and other tobacco use behaviors at six-month and one-year follow-ups. Study 2 will examine whether different classes of flavors (i.e., sweet, cool, tobacco), when combined with nicotine concentrations differing in harshness (6 and 18 mg/ml) alter appeal and nicotine reward among 60 young adult (aged 18-24) and 60 older adult (aged 35-50) cigarette/cigar smokers; this study will also explore the differential influence of sweet, cool, and tobacco flavors on switching from combustible tobacco product use to e-cigarettes. Findings may inform future regulatory activities related to flavors in tobacco/nicotine products.

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Yale TCORS: Flavors, Nicotine and Other Constituents (YCSTP) Related Resources

• Yale TCORS: Yale Center for the Study of Tobacco Product Use and Addiction: Flavors, Nicotine and Other Constituents (YCSTP)
• Yale TCORS Project 1: Effects of Sweet and Coolant Flavors on Nicotine Choice, Consumption and Seeking
• Yale TCORS Project 3: Nicotine Delivery Rate and Its Abuse Potential: Impact of Menthol
• The original scientific abstract and other project information can be found on the NIH website.