Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03272685

Impact of Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes in a Complex Marketplace

This project will examine the impact of very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes in a complex tobacco and nicotine product marketplace. We will compare the number of cigarettes smoked and cigarette-free days in an experimental marketplace that contains VLNC cigarettes versus normal nicotine content (NNC) cigarettes.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Age range

21 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Primary location

Tobacco Research Center, San Francisco, California, United States

Loading trial locations.

About this study

This randomized, open label, controlled, multi-site study will simulate a "real world" tobacco environment by providing participants access to an experimental marketplace where they will be given vouchers for a specified number of points that can be exchanged for study cigarettes (varying in nicotine content described below) and non-combusted tobacco/nicotine products (smokeless tobacco, snus, electronic cigarette, medicinal nicotine replacement) and at the end of the study can exchange unspent points for money.

Subjects (N=200 in each group) will be randomly assigned to: 1) very low nicotine content cigarettes (VLNC; 0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco) along with non-combusted tobacco/nicotine products or 2) normal nicotine content cigarettes (NNC; 15.8 mg nicotine/g tobacco) along with non-combusted tobacco/nicotine products.

Smokers will undergo an orientation visit for screening and then enter a three phase experimental trial:

  • Phase 1 - Baseline: Two week baseline assessment period during usual brand cigarette smoking.
  • Phase 2 - Marketplace Adaptation: Two week period where subjects have access to the marketplace that provides their preferred usual brand cigarettes and selected non-combusted tobacco products to allow the subject to adjust to the marketplace prior to randomization;
  • Phase 3 - Intervention: Randomization to a marketplace with access to either VLNC or NNC cigarettes plus non-combusted products for a 12 week period.

Biomarker samples are collected at baseline, end of Phase 2 and end of week Phase 3 (week 12).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female;
  • 18/21 (legal age to purchase tobacco at site);
  • Biochemically confirmed smoker.

Exclusion criteria

  • Unstable health condition;
  • Unstable medications;
  • Pregnant or nursing.

Treatment and study plan

Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes

Drug

0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco; 9 mg tar

Other names: Reduced Nicotine Content Cigarettes

Normal Nicotine Content Cigarettes

Drug

15.8 mg nicotine/g tobacco; 9 mg tar

Other names: Conventional Nicotine Content Cigarettes

Primary outcomes

  1. Cigarettes Per Day (CPD)

    Time frame: 7 days prior to week 12 visit

    The mean cigarettes (study and non-study cigarettes) smoked per day based on 7 days Daily Interactive Voice Response (IVR) data at the end of Phase 3 (experimental marketplace with study cigarettes) compared to Phase 2 (experimental marketplace with usual brand cigarettes).

  2. Number of Smoke-free Days

    Time frame: day 1 of study until day before week 12 visit

    Rate of smoke-free days, defined as no cigarettes smoked in the past 24 hours calculated as the proportion of smoke-free days out of the total number of days in Phase 3.

    Number of smoke free days based on the interactive voice response (IVR)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Percent Change in 2-cyanoethyl-mercapturic Acid (CEMA)

    Time frame: The last visit in Phase 2 is the end of the baseline

    Change in CEMA (biomarker for the mercapturic acid acrylonitrile) from end of Phase 2 (experimental marketplace with usual brand cigarettes) to end of Phase 3 (experimental marketplace with study cigarettes).

  2. Study Cigarettes Per Day

    Time frame: 12 weeks (Phase 3) on study cigarettes

    The mean study cigarettes smoked per day based on 7 days Daily Interactive Voice Response (IVR) data at the end of Phase 3 (experimental marketplace with study cigarettes) compared to Phase 2 (experimental marketplace with usual brand cigarettes).

  3. Seven Day Point-prevalence CO-verified Abstinence

    Time frame: 7 days before week 12 visit

    Total cigarettes per day equal to 0 for all 7 days before the week 12 visit and carbon monoxide (CO) ≤ 6ppm at week 12.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Minnesota

Other

Collaborators

  • Brown University
  • Duke University
  • University of California, San Francisco
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Wake Forest University

Registry information

Official study title

Impact of Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes in a Complex Marketplace Part of "Evaluating New Nicotine Standards for Cigarettes"

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2023
First posted
Sep 5, 2017
Registry last updated
Aug 20, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.