RECRUITING

Effects of Nicotine Pouch Characteristics on Perceptions and Behavior

Study Overview

This clinical trial focuses on testing the efficacy of different digital interventions to promote re-engagement in cancer-related long-term follow-up care for adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer.

Description

There is a growing sector of modern tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches that are federally regulated as non-medicinal nicotine/tobacco products. While nicotine pouches employ marketing approaches that may attract current tobacco users, such as marketing themes connoting minimal harm, information on the long-term health effects of nicotine pouches is lacking. nicotine pouches may appeal to younger adults because they are available in similar product characteristics (e.g., nicotine concentration, protonated nicotine) that many younger people prefer to use in e-cigarettes. In addition, nicotine pouches may be of particular interest to younger adult e-cigarette users because these products can be used discreetly where vaping is not allowed, which may translate into an increased likelihood of becoming dual users of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Indeed, approximately 15% young adults who used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days were past 30-day nicotine pouch users. Manufacturers of modern nicotine pouches use acid additives to lower pH, which changes nicotine from a free-base to a protonated nicotine, resulting in improved appeal and sensory experience and higher abuse liability. Thus, nicotine concentration and pH in modern nicotine pouches should be focal targets for regulatory policies. Evidence is also lacking on mechanisms mediating differences in product appeal and abuse liability of nicotine pouches across products varying in nicotine concentration and pH level. The scientific objective of this research is to assess the effect of variation in nicotine concentration in nicotine pouches and its interaction effect with pH level on the proximal outcomes of relevance to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation: sensory attributes and product appeal among younger adults who use nicotine pouches in the past 30 days (current dual users of nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes and/or combustible cigarettes will be eligible) and are unmotivated to quit nicotine use. This innovative project proposes to conduct a double-blind within-subject randomized study in which participants (N = 72) will administer nicotine pouches varied by nicotine concentration (e.g., 3 vs 6 mg) and pH (e.g., 8.5 or greater vs. less than 8.5) to achieve the project aim: to evaluate the effects of nicotine concentration and pH on subjective product appeal and sensory attributes of nicotine pouches. The findings of this proposed research will provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with new evidence necessary to inform regulatory restrictions on product characteristics and constituents of nicotine pouches, which may put young adults at risk of using a novel class of oral nicotine products.

Official Title

Effect of Product Characteristics on the Appeal and Sensory Attributes of Nicotine Pouches

Quick Facts

Study Start:2024-10-31
Study Completion:2025-07-31
Study Type:Not specified
Phase:Not Applicable
Enrollment:Not specified
Status:RECRUITING

Study ID

NCT06597435

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Ages Eligible for Study:21 Years to 35 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study:ALL
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:Yes
Standard Ages:ADULT
Inclusion CriteriaExclusion Criteria
  1. * Adults age 21-35 years old.
  2. * Current nicotine pouch users (used nicotine pouches in the past 30 days). Current dual users of nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes and/or combustible cigarettes will be eligible.
  3. * Positive cotinine test via saliva test strip.
  4. * Unmotivated to quit nicotine use.
  5. * English language competency (read and speak English). The instruments used have not been translated and/or validated for other languages.
  1. * Intention to quit nicotine use in the next 30 days.
  2. * Current pregnancy or breastfeeding (urine pregnancy test will be conducted during the orientation session).
  3. * History of stroke, seizures, high blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease/problems, lung disease/lung problems, or cardiovascular disease contraindications for nicotine.
  4. * People under 21 years will be excluded to correspond with the legal age for purchasing tobacco products in the United States. Special subject populations will not be recruited.

Contacts and Locations

Study Contact

Dae Hee Han, PhD
CONTACT
626-200-8334
daeheeha@usc.edu
Adam Leventhal, PhD
CONTACT
adam.leventhal@usc.edu

Principal Investigator

Dae Hee Han, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Southern California

Study Locations (Sites)

University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, 90032
United States
University of Southern California - Clinical Sciences Building
Los Angeles, California, 90033
United States

Collaborators and Investigators

Sponsor: University of Southern California

  • Dae Hee Han, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Southern California

Study Record Dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Registration Dates

Study Start Date2024-10-31
Study Completion Date2025-07-31

Study Record Updates

Study Start Date2024-10-31
Study Completion Date2025-07-31

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

  • Nicotine Pouch Self-Administration