# A controlled evaluation of abstinence-induced withdrawal and motivation to vape/smoke among daily ENDS users vs. cigarette smokers

> **NIH NIH R01** · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO · 2022 · $724,308

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Withdrawal is a key, multi-faceted component of tobacco/nicotine dependence. Because withdrawal
symptoms are theorized to drive relapse, facets of withdrawal (e.g., craving, negative affect) are the
targets of most current and emerging treatments. Despite the central importance of withdrawal, and a
voluminous literature on withdrawal from combustible cigarette smoking, we know little about
withdrawal from electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). To overcome critical barriers to
progress in the field, we propose the first-ever prospective, controlled comparison of abstinence-
induced withdrawal between ENDS vapers and cigarette smokers. Participants will be 160 established
daily vapers (including former smokers and dual users who smoke occasionally), 160 established
daily smokers (including former vapers and dual users who vape occasionally), and (for exploratory
comparisons) 50 established daily dual users, who smoke and vape daily. Participants will complete
two 4-hour lab visits; the order of the ad lib use visit and the abstinent visit (which follows 24 hours of
abstinence) will be randomized across participants. To advance knowledge of ENDS withdrawal, we
will employ state-of-the-science, multi-measure, multi-method assessments of key withdrawal facets:
negative affect, craving, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, sleep, and appetite, as well as
anhedonia/positive affect and somatic effects. We hypothesize that, for each facet, withdrawal
magnitude will be lower among vapers compared to smokers. To inform theory and intervention
development, we will also evaluate the behavioral significance of ENDS withdrawal, testing the
hypotheses that abstinence will increase the motivation to vape/smoke and this group difference will
be accounted for (mediated) by vaper/smoker differences in one or more withdrawal facets.
Exploratory analyses will examine whether group differences in withdrawal are accounted for
(mediate) by differential nicotine exposure, explore the role of individual differences (e.g., sex, rate of
nicotine metabolism, expectancies), and examine differences among sub-groups of vapers. The impact
of this much-needed, detailed characterization of withdrawal from ENDS is enhanced by the inclusion
of a comparator of great public health significance, cigarette smoking. In addition, by characterizing
the specific withdrawal facets that drive motivation to vape/smoke, the proposed work will identify
promising intervention targets for subsequent treatment development efforts.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10428192
- **Project number:** 1R01DA054276-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO
- **Principal Investigator:** LARRY W HAWK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $724,308
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-06-15 → 2027-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10428192

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10428192, A controlled evaluation of abstinence-induced withdrawal and motivation to vape/smoke among daily ENDS users vs. cigarette smokers (1R01DA054276-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10428192. Licensed CC0.

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