# Vaping Nicotine and Cannabis Across Adolescence and Young Adulthood

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2021 · $119,073

## Abstract

In 2015, evidence that e-cigarette use ("vaping") in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) had 
increased and was associated with increased risk of cigarette smoking initiation generated concern 
in the public health community. Subsequent research has left the field with several critical 
questions, including: (1) whether vaping truly has a causal effect on smoking or merely reflects a 
common liability toward deviancy among 'high-risk' AYAs with emotional or behavioral problems, (2) 
whether an emerging wave of new vaping products, including new nicotine products such as JUUL, and 
an increasingly diverse class of products dedicated to vaping cannabis plant, oils, and waxes, may 
increase the appeal and addictive potential of vaping, and (3) whether there exist particular 
characteristics of vaping products and biopsychosocial mechanisms that underlie the risk of AYA 
vaping initiation, progression, and transition to other forms of drug use that could be targeted 
in prevention efforts. The uncertainties regarding the impact of AYA vaping have left policy 
officials with little evidence to determine if AYA vaping should be prioritized in public health 
programs, and if so, the most effective strategies for prevention.
To address the evidence needs and provide a flexible framework for future study of the impact of 
various vaping products on the AYA tobacco product and cannabis use burden, we will test a novel 
'catalyst model' of AYA vaping. The catalyst model proposes two steps, which we will evaluate in 
Aims 1 and 2 of this proposal. Step 1 (AIM 1). To determine whether (a) AYAs with fewer 
emotional-behavioral risk factors who have been previously deterred from drug use in traditional 
(non-vaporized) forms are at risk of vaping initiation, (b) the unique qualities and product 
features of vaping (e.g., concealability, flavors, appealing technology, social acceptability, low 
perceived harm) increase risk of AYA vaping, and (c) features of vaping products 
disproportionately increase the risk of vaping initiation for low-risk AYAs. Step 2 (AIM 2). To 
determine whether (a) vaping increases the risk of cross-product transitions involving initiation 
of other vaping products, or combustible nicotine or cannabis, as well as increases risk of 
progression to problematic drug use outcomes, including dependence, poly-drug use, and chronic drug 
use through early adulthood, (b) rewarding effects from exposure to nicotine, cannabinoids, and 
other product components (e.g. flavorings) increases risk of cross-product transitions and 
problematic drug use outcomes, and (c) product characteristics modify this association. To test the 
model, we will leverage data collected from participants from age 14-19 (2013-2018) from our 
existing cohort and follow participants into early adulthood (20-23, from 2019-2023; N~2000). We 
will also recruit a new cohort of 9ᵗʰ grade students at age 14 (N=2500) at the same schools as part 
of a cohort-sequential design tha...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10306912
- **Project number:** 3R01CA229617-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Jessica Louise Barrington-Trimis
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $119,073
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-09-20 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10306912

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10306912, Vaping Nicotine and Cannabis Across Adolescence and Young Adulthood (3R01CA229617-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10306912. Licensed CC0.

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