# Investigating the relationship between menthol flavor and nicotine metabolism in African Americans who smoke cigarettes

> **NIH NIH K01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $188,730

## Abstract

Project Summary
African Americans are more likely than Whites to die from smoking related diseases and are less successful at
smoking cessation with the current FDA-approved aids. Thus, this proposal seeks to investigate the use of e-
cigarettes on smoking reduction in African American and White smokers. This proposal will elucidate the
relationship between nicotine metabolism and nicotine concentrations in e-cigarettes on smoking behavior and
toxicant exposure in African American and White smokers. We hypothesize that slow nicotine metabolizers will
have higher nicotine plasma levels than normal nicotine metabolizers at all nicotine concentrations and report
greater positive subjective effects. Additionally, we hypothesize that slow nicotine metabolizers will be more
likely to reduce their smoking with e-cigarettes because studies show slower nicotine metabolizing smokers
are more successful on nicotine replacement therapies than normal or fast nicotine metabolizing smokers. The
outcomes of the project will provide new information to further develop the knowledge base in understanding
which nicotine concentration manufacturers should include in e-liquids to reduce smoking behaviors.
Regulatory efforts could cap the nicotine content in e-liquids to reduce the addictive potential of e-cigs to
adolescents but provide a harm reduction avenue for smokers, especially African American smokers, to protect
overall public health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10475019
- **Project number:** 5K01DA051882-03
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Asti B Jackson
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $188,730
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2023-03-15

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10475019

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10475019, Investigating the relationship between menthol flavor and nicotine metabolism in African Americans who smoke cigarettes (5K01DA051882-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10475019. Licensed CC0.

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