Brown University School of Public Health
Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, United States
NCT Number: NCT03860077
Adolescents are an important vulnerable population to consider as the FDA moves toward a nicotine reduction policy. Such a policy, which would mandate a reduction of nicotine in all commercially available cigarettes, has the potential to transform public health and greatly reduce the toll of tobacco-related death and disease. Yet, data on the effects of such a policy on cigarette use among adolescents are lacking. Further, the advent of e-cigarettes and the popularity of alternative tobacco products have fundamentally altered the current landscape of nicotine delivery, and these products are widely used by adolescents. Although adolescent cigarette use is at an all-time low in the U.S., this reduction has been mirrored by an increase in e-cigarette use, and multiple tobacco product (MTP) use is the most common pattern of use in youth. Adolescent MTP users are more likely to be dependent on nicotine and to have begun using tobacco earlier than their single-product using peers. Thus, MTP-using youth differ from youth who solely smoke cigarettes in meaningful ways that have implications for responses to a nicotine reduction regulatory policy. In adults, longer-term studies have demonstrated that very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarette exposure results in fewer cigarettes smoked and reduced toxicant exposure; however, increased use of alternative tobacco products has also been reported. No studies to date have examined the effects of VLNC cigarettes on MTP use or toxicant exposure in youth. This study will use real-time, smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and laboratory-based assessments to: (1) investigate the effects of cigarette nicotine reduction on cigarette and MTP use, (2) assess the influence of cigarette nicotine reduction on the harms associated with tobacco use, including nicotine and toxicant exposure, respiratory symptoms, perceived health risk and nicotine dependence, and (3) use a combination of laboratory and real-time assessment to investigate the effects of nicotine reduction on changes in withdrawal, craving, and the reinforcing efficacy of cigarettes to characterize the mechanisms by which VLNC use may affect behavior. Overall, this project will help determine the effects of VLNC cigarettes on real-world tobacco use behavior and indices of tobacco-related harm in adolescents, and examining the mechanisms through which nicotine reduction in cigarettes may effect such changes.
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Notify Me15 year–20 year
All sexes
Interventional
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, United States
Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes
Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
a. Defined as any self-reported use of at least one non-cigarette tobacco product (e.g., e-cigarettes, little cigars, cigarillos, hookah, etc.) in the past 30 days 4) Participants must speak and comprehend English well enough to complete study procedures.
a. Participant will be asked to read aloud first few lines of informed consent and then summarize the contents aloud to check for competency 5) Participants under 18 must provide assent and parental consent from a parent/guardian.
a. Participants age 18 or 19 may provide their own written consent contingent on photo ID verification of age.
Exclusion criteria
a. We will ask about daily alcohol and drug use in the phone screen, and we will use the Timeline Follow-Back to assess current and recent marijuana and alcohol use.
a. Suicidal ideation determined by the MINI ( Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) suicide subscale at the in-person screening (Questions 4 and 5) b. Suicide attempt in the past year determined by MINI question 6.a. (If participant has a lifetime history of suicide attempt between 1 and 10 years ago, licensed medical monitor approval required) c. If a participant indicates that he/she currently has suicidal ideation during this or any future session, the Emergency Protocol will be followed in which a Licensed Clinician will be contacted immediately, and participants will speak with the clinician over the phone and the clinician will determine the appropriate action to take to keep the child safe.
a. Determined by urine test at in-person screening; tested again at each in-person visit; participant will be excluded or withdrawn if test indicates pregnancy b. Self-reports current breastfeeding at in-person screening 6) Any medical or psychiatric conditions in which participation is likely to pose a significant threat to health or for which the condition could interfere with the ability of the participant to fully participate (as determined by LMP).
Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes
Normal Nicotine Content Cigarettes
Time frame: Week 4
Average number of cigarettes (study and non-study) smoked in the past week prior to the final session.
Time frame: Week 4
Average number of days of combustible and noncombustible use. This measure is a sum of the days of combustible use (out of 7 days) and noncombustible use (out of 7 days) recorded in the week prior to week 4, averaged over 14 days. As this measure is a sum of the two variables, its possible range is 0-14.
Time frame: Week 4
Number of days of noncombustible tobacco product use in the past 7 days prior to week 4
Time frame: Week 4
Average number of study cigarettes smoked per day across 7 days prior to week 4
Time frame: Week 4
Total Nicotine Equivalents (TNEs)
Time frame: Baseline-Week 4
Respiratory Health Symptoms; an 8-item questionnaire measuring frequency of experience respiratory symptoms; scores can range from 8 to 40 and greater scores indicate greater frequency.
Time frame: Week 4
Perceived risk for developing diseases associated with use study cigarettes and usual brand cigarettes; Scores range from 1 (much less risk) to 5 (much greater risk) for each disease
Time frame: Baseline-Week 4
Modified Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire (mFTQ) score; Scale 2-8, higher scores indicate greater nicotine dependence
Time frame: Baseline-Week 4
Questionnaire on Smoking Urges (QSU) post- smoking in the laboratory, a 10 item scale that is comprised of 2 factors; Factor 1 included items 1, 3, 6, 7, and 10 Factor 2 included items 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9 The score for each factor is calculated by summing the item scores; the total score is calculated by summing all 10 items. A single-item craving question (ranging from 1-10, not all to greatly) from daily random and post-event Ecological Momentary Assessments.
Time frame: Baseline-Week 4
Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale 7-item version; greater score indicates greater withdrawal
Time frame: Baseline-Week 4
Cigarette Evaluation Scale post-smoking in the laboratory; 5 subscales are derived from this scale: Psychological Reward, Smoking Satisfaction, Enjoyment of Respiratory Sensations, Craving Reduction; Aversion. Event level on satisfaction derived from post-use responses on daily Ecological Momentary Assessments.
Time frame: Baseline-Week 4
Cigarette Purchase Task; Five indices of demand for cigarettes are derived from this measure (Intensity, Omax, Breakpoint, Pmax, Alpha)
Time frame: Baseline-Week 4
Purchasing of cigarettes and other tobacco products across changing prices in Experimental Tobacco Marketplace task
Brown University
Other
Acronym: SIREN
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View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.
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