# Gender differences in Standard Research E-Cigarette (SREC) products use, acceptability, reinforcement, and nicotine dependence symptoms

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · 2021 · $759,811

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Despite increasing use of electronic cigarettes (ECs) in the population, little is known about gender
differences in the potential risks and benefits associated with e-cig use in current combustible cigarette (CC)
smokers. To help address questions like this, NIDA commissioned the development of a Standard Research E-
Cigarette (SREC) and a 2-year FOA (PAR-18-220) to encourage its evaluation. Much evidence suggests that
male and female CC smokers differ in terms of nicotine consumption, reinforcement, withdrawal severity, and
quit rate. However, it is largely unknown whether there are gender differences in these factors as result of EC
use. Pursuant to this FOA, the objective of this proposal is to characterize potential gender differences when
switching to nicotine and placebo SRECs from CCs on product use, product acceptability, reinforcement, and
nicotine dependence symptoms among adult daily CC smokers. Participants (n=140) will be 70 male and 70
female adult daily CC smokers who are currently uninterested in quitting smoking but who are interested in
trying ECs. Participants will smoke their usual brand (UB) CC products during Phase 1 (Baseline; weeks 1-2)
and will be instructed to use the SREC (either nicotine [15 mg/mL; SREC-NIC] or placebo [0 mg/mL; SREC-
PLA]), during Phases 2 (weeks 3-4) and 3 (weeks 5-6) whenever they have the urge to smoke. Our aims will
be to characterize: (1) The effects of switching to nicotine vs. placebo SRECs from CCs on product use,
product acceptability, reinforcement, and nicotine dependence symptoms among adult daily CC smokers; (2)
the differences between male and female CC smokers when switching to nicotine vs. placebo SRECs from
CCs on product use, product acceptability, reinforcement, and nicotine dependence symptoms; and (3) which
factors moderate or mediate the effects of switching to nicotine and placebo SRECs from CCs among male
and female CC smokers. This project is significant because it will examine the impact of SREC use separately
for men and women, who are known to respond to nicotine products differently, and provide NIDA with
information about potential gender differences in the ability of CC users to switch to SRECs, in the reinforcing
effects of SRECs compared to CCs, and in dual/poly use of SRECs and CCs. This proposal is innovative
because it will characterize the potential differences of switching to SRECs from CCs between men and
women using a controlled clinical trial design. The positive impact of this study will be to provide scientific
information on whether a standardized research e-cig is found to be used and accepted by both men and
women CC smokers, which would indicate whether it could serve as a good model of future e-cig research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9788397
- **Project number:** 5U01DA047875-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Jason D Robinson
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $759,811
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-30 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9788397

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9788397, Gender differences in Standard Research E-Cigarette (SREC) products use, acceptability, reinforcement, and nicotine dependence symptoms (5U01DA047875-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9788397. Licensed CC0.

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