# Nicotine Delivery and Flavor Effects on New Generation Electronic Cigarette Abuse Liability

> **NIH NIH R36** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2020 · $53,879

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Despite the overwhelming popularity of novel, high-tech, nicotine salt electronic cigarettes (ECs) such as JUUL
as a harm reduction approach, basic knowledge about the abuse potential of these devices has not been
characterized. The long-term goal is to describe the abuse potential of ECs to develop improved public health
strategies to minimize tobacco product harm. The overall objective of this study is to use physiological,
psychological, and behavioral laboratory assessments to identify EC device characteristics associated with
positive perception and preference using high-tech nicotine salt ECs. Our central hypothesis is that key device
characteristics such as nicotine delivery and flavor relate to young adult perception of ECs and preference in
using them. The rationale of this study is that new evidence on the physiological and psychological basis of EC
use—particularly with popular high-tech nicotine salt ECs currently dominating the market—will contribute to
evidence for use by regulatory agencies such as the FDA in their quest to regulate ECs. The central
hypothesis will be tested by pursuing three aims: 1) Characterize the basic pharmacokinetics of the popular
EC, JUUL, with different flavor and nicotine strength options; 2) Evaluate the effects of nicotine delivery and
flavor on subjective measures of JUUL abuse potential; and 3) Evaluate the effects of nicotine delivery and
flavor on behavioral measures of JUUL abuse potential. Under the first aim, plasma nicotine pharmacokinetics
will be measured and compared following JUUL EC use at either 3% or 5% nicotine salt by volume and either
tobacco or mint flavor with an additional usual-brand-cigarette session. For the second aim, subjective
responses to each product, measured using an evaluation scale and a perceived health risk scale, will be
modeled with nicotine delivery and flavor as predictors. For the third aim, a Cigarette/EC Purchase Task will
measure behavioral economics of usual brand cigarettes versus EC options. The research proposed in this
application is innovative, in the applicant’s opinion, because it examines the combination of physiological,
subjective, and behavioral measures of abuse potential manipulating flavor and nicotine dose in the popular
EC, JUUL. This proposal is significant because it is expected to provide valuable insight into how nicotine and
flavor contribute to EC appeal for young adult smokers. Ultimately, such knowledge has the potential to open
new horizons for more effective clinical research focused on switching smokers to ECs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9874463
- **Project number:** 1R36DA050000-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Mari Gades
- **Activity code:** R36 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $53,879
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9874463

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9874463, Nicotine Delivery and Flavor Effects on New Generation Electronic Cigarette Abuse Liability (1R36DA050000-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9874463. Licensed CC0.

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