# Project 1

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2023 · $325,158

## Abstract

PROJECT 1: ABSTRACT/SUMMARY
Project 1 (P1): Use of Novel Non-Combustible Tobacco Products among US Youth (Leader, Leventhal)
P1 determines how availability of different new non-combustible products impacts tobacco product use in US
youth from 2024-2028. To accomplish this, P1 will: a) partner with the Monitoring the Future (MTF) Study to add
a new survey module focused on tobacco regulatory science (TRS) with its own unique measures to the annual
cross-sectional survey of US 8th, 10th, and 12th graders (n=221,490, pooled across years); b) test hypotheses
about 5-year trends in the use of edible oral nicotine products (ONPs; gums, lozenges/mints, gummies), pouch
ONPs, and e-cigarettes; c) examine the role of ONP and e-cigarette product characteristics and reasons for use
in ONP and e-cigarette use; and d) estimate relations of race/ethnicity, rural residence, mental health, and other
substance use with use and poly-use of ONPs with e-cigarettes and with combustible products. Aim 1 is to
determine the epidemiology of ONP use and poly-use with e-cigarette, combustible, or smokeless tobacco in US
youth, 2024-2028. We hypothesize that: (a) past 30-day use prevalence of any ONP, edible ONPs, or pouch
ONPs will increase across years, (b) depressive symptoms, other substance use, rural, and American
Indian/Alaska Native status will be associated with ONP use and ONP+other product poly use. Aim 2 is to
determine the role of flavors and nicotine concentration in ONP and e-cigarette use in US youth. We hypothesize
that use of ONPs or e-cigarettes with: (a) concept flavors or explicitly-marketed flavors (menthol, mint, fruit,
dessert, ice+fruit hybrid, non-menthol cooling) flavors vs. unflavored/tobacco flavors will be associated with
higher past-30-day use frequency (1-30 days) and intensity (vaping episodes or pieces/pouches per use day);
(b) nicotine concentration will have a dose-response association with use frequency and intensity. Aim 3 is to
determine associations between perceived reasons for using ONPs related to product design/ characteristics
and ONP use and poly-use in US youth. We hypothesize that in past-30-day ONP users: (a) citing concealability,
discreetness, convenience, flavor, nicotine buzz, and use where other tobacco products are not allowed as
reasons for ONP use will be associated with ONP higher use frequency and intensity; (b) citing use where
tobacco products are not permitted will be associated with more frequent use of other products. Implications
for Regulation: If U.S. youth use of ONPs and e-cigarettes with certain flavors, nicotine concentrations, or
design features (e.g., easy to conceal edible ONPs) are common and associated with frequent use and poly-
use, FDA targeting of such products in marketing denials or enforcement priorities might reduce youth uptake.
Evidence that priority populations are disproportionately vulnerable would indicate that such regulations could
reduce inequalities in non-combustible tobacco produc...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10664806
- **Project number:** 2U54CA180905-11
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Adam Matthew Leventhal
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $325,158
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2013-09-19 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10664806

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10664806, Project 1 (2U54CA180905-11). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10664806. Licensed CC0.

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