Understanding the Effect of Waterpipe Size on Smoking Behavior, Toxicant Exposures and Subjective Experiences
This NIH funded project will generate novel evidence regarding the effect of waterpipe size on smoking behavior, toxicant exposures and subjective experiences among waterpipe smokers. Findings from this project will guide tobacco control efforts in developing waterpipe size-specific regulatory actions to curb waterpipe smoking in the US and protect public health.
We will utilize the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Laboratory at the University of Texas at Arlington to achieve the following aims:
Aim 1: To examine the effect of WP size manipulation on smoking behavior (puff topography) and toxicant exposure (CO and nicotine) among WP smokers. This analysis will reveal how changes in puffing behavior as a result of size manipulation influence exposure to CO and saliva nicotine concentrations among WP smokers. Outcomes include: 1) puff topography parameters (i.e. puff number, puff duration, average puff volume, total inhaled volume and inter puff interval); 2) exhaled CO and 3) saliva nicotine concentrations.
Aim 2: To examine the effect of WP size manipulation on harm perception and subjective experiences among WP smokers.This analysis will assess the effect of WP size on harm perception and the overall smoking experience among WP smokers. Outcomes include: 1) Harm Perception; 2) WP Evaluation Scale; 3) Duke Sensory Questionnaire; 4) Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (brief); 5) Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale.
Study is currently in progress (Click to Participate).
The Impact of E-Cigarette Vaping on Muscle Sympathetic Activity Among Regular E-Cigarette Users
In collaboration with the Human Neural Cardiovascular Control Laboratory, this project aims to utilize popular pod-based e-cigarettes in the US to examine the effects of vaping e-cigarette on sympathetic nerve activity among regular e-cigarette users.
We will utilize the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Laboratory and Human Neural Cardiovascular Control Laboratory at the University of Texas at Arlington to achieve the following aims:
Aim 1: To examine the effect of JUUL vaping on muscle sympathetic activity among e-cigarette users. This analysis will reveal how vaping JUUL with nicotine will influence muscle sympathetic activity compared with vaping JUUL with zero-nicotine. Outcomes include: 1) muscle sympathetic activity and 2) heart rate and arterial pressure.
Aim 2: To examine the effect of JUUL vaping on subjective experiences among e-cigarette users. This analysis will reveal the impact of vaping JUUL with nicotine on the overall vaping experience among e-cigarette users compared with vaping JUUL with zero-nicotine. Outcomes include: 1) Harm Perception; 2) E-cigarette Evaluation Scale (EES); 3) The Duke Sensory Questionnaire (DSQ); 4) Questionnaire of Smoking Urges-brief (QSU); and 5) Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS).
Study is currently in progress (Click to Participate).
Juul vs Combustible Cigarette: Impact on Vascular Function, Lung Function and Subjective Experiences
In collaboration with the Integrative Vascular Physiology Laboratory and the Applied Physiology and Advanced Imaging Laboratory, this project brought together a dynamic, highly experienced, research team, with expertise in tobacco science, public health and cardiovascular integrative physiology to generate evidence regarding the potential risk/benefits of using e-cigarettes among smokers of combustible cigarettes. Together, findings from this project provided timely evidence regarding changes in cardiac and vascular function and subjective responses following e-cigarette use compared with combustible cigarettes among adult smokers.
Introduction: The increasing rates of electronic cigarette (e-cigarettes) use among youth in the US have been largely attributed to the recent emergence of the high-nicotine-delivery pod-based devices such as JUUL. While these devices continue to be promoted as safer alternatives to combustible cigarettes, their impact on on vascular function, lung function and subjective experiences remains almost entirely unknown. This study aim to assess the impact of JULL vaping on lung function, vascular function and subjective experiences compared with combustible cigarette among adult smokers.
Methods: A total of 14 adult smokers (21-39 yrs) attended two instructed smoking/vaping sessions (cigarette vs e-cigarette) in a crossover design study. Participants completed a battery of questions assessing subjective smoking experiences. Endothelial function (via Femoral Mediated Dilation (FMD)), cerebral function using (via Transcranial Doppler (TCD)) and lung function (via spirometer) were assessed before and after each sessions.
Results: There was a significant reduction in lung-function both after smoking and vaping (P<0.05) with no significant differences between the two study conditions. Similarly, there was a significant reduction in FMD and TCD both after JUUL and combustible cigarette use (Ps<0.05). Participants scored higher for measures of satisfaction, enjoyment and suppression of craving after smoking the combustible cigarette compared with JUUL.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that similar to combustible cigarette, acute exposure to JUUL is associated with a decrease in lung and vascular function, while providing a reduced subjective experience than cigarette among regular smokers. Therefore our pilot study suggest that JUUL vaping may not be a safe alternative to cigarette smoking. There is a need for longitudinal design studies to assess the long-term impact of JUUL use on cardiopulmonary function compared with cigarette.
Study completed (Click to Read Article).
High on Hookah: Smoking Marijuana from a Hookah among Adults in the United States, Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, 2015–2019
Objective: This study aimed to examine the trend and factors associated with smoking marijuana from a hookah device among US adults.
Methods: Data were drawn from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, an ongoing nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of the US population. Adult respondents who self-reported ever smoking marijuana from a hookah at Wave 5 (2018–19, N = 34,279 US adults) were included in the multivariable analysis. Trend analysis also was conducted using National Cancer Institute JoinPoint software from 2015 to 2019.
Results: In 2018–19, an estimated 23.6 million (9.7%) US adults reported ever smoking marijuana from a hookah. Trend analysis showed the increasing prevalence of using marijuana from a hookah device from Wave 3 (8.9%) to Wave 5 (9.7%; time trend p = .007). Adults aged 25–44 years old (vs. 18–24; 13%, vs. 9%), whites (vs. Black; 11% vs. 9%), and lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB vs. straight; 17% vs. 9%) were more likely to report ever smoking marijuana from a hookah (ps < .05). Former and current users (vs. never users) of e-cigarettes (19% and 25% vs. 5%), cigarettes (11% and 21% vs. 2%), cigars (17% and 27% vs. 3%), and pipes (21% and 33% vs. 7%) and past 30-day blunt users (vs. non-users; 39% vs. 9%) were more likely to ever smoke marijuana from a hookah (ps < .05). Pregnant women (vs. non-pregnant; 12.8% vs. 8.6%; p = 0.03) were more likely to smoke marijuana from a hookah.
Conclusions: Smoking marijuana from a hookah device is prevalent among young adults in the US, especially among vulnerable populations, and has increased significantly from 2015–2019.
Study completed (Click to Read Article).