# Do E-cigarette Design Features Impact Cigarette Initiation, Cessation & Relapse?

> **NIH NIH R21** · ROSWELL PARK CANCER INSTITUTE CORP · 2020 · $210,250

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The population-level impact of electronic nicotine delivery systems (“e-cigarettes”) will depend in large part on
their effects on combustible tobacco cigarette smoking. Therefore, when using a population standard to make
tobacco regulatory decisions, the impacts of e-cigarettes on cigarette smoking initiation, cessation, and relapse
must all be considered. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) concluded
that there are key gaps in the literature regarding whether/how e-cigarette characteristics impact transitions to
and from cigarette smoking. The proposed project will address these gaps by evaluating the independent
effects of four e-cigarette design features that can be regulated by FDA action – flavors, device type
characteristics, nicotine content, and nicotine formulation – on later cigarette smoking initiation, cessation, and
relapse among youth and adult in the US. We will analyze data from the longitudinal Population Assessment of
Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, the US arm of the longitudinal International Tobacco Control (ITC) Youth
Tobacco and E-cigarette Survey, and the US arm of the ITC Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey. We
will use generalized estimating equation regression analyses as well as propensity score matching techniques
to increase statistical power and to statistically reduce potential confounding of associations by other factors.
• Aim 1 will examine e-cigarette use and cigarette initiation among nonsmoking youth and young adults.
 We will examine whether and how e-cigarette design features predict future cigarette smoking initiation,
 including progression to regular cigarette smoking.
• Aim 2 will examine e-cigarette use and cigarette cessation among youth and adult cigarette smokers.
 We will examine whether and how e-cigarette design features impact later cigarette smoking cessation,
 considering both the potential reach and effectiveness of design features.
• Aim 3 will examine e-cigarette use and cigarette relapse among adult former cigarette smokers. We will
 examine whether and how e-cigarette design features impact later cigarette smoking relapse.
Addressing these aims together will provide balanced scientific evidence of the impact of e-cigarette design
features on transitions both toward and away from cigarette smoking in the US – the outcome upon which the
net harm/benefit potential of e-cigarettes will ultimately hinge. These findings can directly inform FDA
regulatory actions regarding product standards for e-cigarette flavors, device type characteristics, nicotine
content, and nicotine formulation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10034716
- **Project number:** 1R21DA051446-01
- **Recipient organization:** ROSWELL PARK CANCER INSTITUTE CORP
- **Principal Investigator:** Karin A Kasza
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $210,250
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10034716

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10034716, Do E-cigarette Design Features Impact Cigarette Initiation, Cessation & Relapse? (1R21DA051446-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10034716. Licensed CC0.

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