# Research Project 2 : Sweet and Cooling Flavors and Nicotine: Examinations in New and Established Tobacco Product Users

> **NIH NIH U54** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $716,165

## Abstract

Abstract: Project #2
Most tobacco products contain a wide variety of flavors. Epidemiological evidence suggests that while
flavored tobacco products are used by tobacco users of all ages, younger tobacco users seem to have
greater preference for flavors, when compared with older tobacco users. Furthermore, youth who are
initiating tobacco use often report the availability of appealing flavors as one of the primary reasons for
trying and using certain tobacco/nicotine products, like e-cigarettes (e-cigs), cigars and hookahs. Despite
this evidence, the FDA-CTP has not proposed new regulations on flavors, other than the ban on all flavors
except menthol in cigarettes in 2009. This lack of action could be related to the dearth of adequate
scientific evidence on whether flavors alter appeal and abuse potential of tobacco/nicotine products.
Flavors could alter appeal and abuse potential of nicotine/tobacco, either through the primary reinforcing
characteristics of flavor (e.g. appealing aroma or taste) directly increasing product appeal and abuse
potential, or by ameliorating aversive characteristics of tobacco/nicotine (henceforth “ameliorating”
attributes/effects). The goal of this project is to generate critical evidence on the role of flavors to inform
and support FDA regulations on flavored tobacco/nicotine products. We will determine the influence of the
“aroma and taste” and “ameliorating” attributes of popular sweet and menthol flavors on the appeal and use
of e-cigs. This project will use e-cigs because they provide an ideal system for examining the inhaled
effects of flavors and nicotine, and are available in different (7000+) flavors. Study 1 will use established
methodology and sensory experiments to examine the influence of sweet, cool and tobacco flavors, and
combinations thereof, on the appeal and abuse potential of e-cigs containing nicotine concentrations
varying in harshness (3 mg/ml, 12 mg/ml), among susceptible youth who are likely to initiate e-cig use.
This study will also explore if sensory responses to flavors predict emergence in e-cigarette and other
tobacco use behaviors at six-month and one-year follow ups. Study 2 will use established experimental
methods to examine if different classes of flavors (i.e., sweet, cool, tobacco), when combined with nicotine
concentrations differing in harshness (6 and 18 mg/ml) alter appeal and nicotine reward among younger
and older combustible tobacco users. Importantly, this study will also explore the differential influence of
sweet, cool, and tobacco flavors on switching from combustible tobacco product use to e-cigarettes, among
younger and older adult combustible tobacco users. The evidence generated from this novel proposal is
crucial to support regulations directed at flavors in tobacco/nicotine products like e-cigs, which will likely
need to strike a balance between reducing the appeal of these products for youth and enhancing their
appeal for combustible tobacco users looking to swi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10242019
- **Project number:** 5U54DA036151-09
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** SUCHITRA KRISHNAN-SARIN
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $716,165
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-09-30 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10242019

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10242019, Research Project 2 : Sweet and Cooling Flavors and Nicotine: Examinations in New and Established Tobacco Product Users (5U54DA036151-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10242019. Licensed CC0.

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