# E-cigarette use as a smoking cue

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2020 · $532,280

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT:
Smoking is an appetitive behavior and stimuli associated with nicotine’s desirable effects have been shown to
increase smoking urge and behavior. As electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, electronic cigarettes, or
e-cigarettes) share salient features of traditional smoking in form and function, it is possible they could
generalize as a conditioned cue to elicit smoking urge and behavior. This is of critical importance as the
availability and rapid adoption of ENDS has led to increased second-hand exposures to vaping that occur in
similar contexts as smoking. Thus, even one occasion of e-cigarette use could conceivably result in numerous
ENDS products have rapidly evolved with increased popularity for tank systems with
variable-voltage/wattage settings. These devices are used in conjunction with e-liquids that include various
chemical constituents, including the primary humectant vegetable glycerin (VG). E-liquids with high levels of
VG are desirable for both the throat hit as well as their ability to increase exhaled aerosol (vape) production
which may affect their cue salience
exposures to observers.
. Well-controlled, evidence-based research is needed to elucidate the role
of e-liquid constituents of ENDS and their aerosols that may affect tobacco use in observers. We propose the
first large-scaled controlled study to address this issue. We will examine current and former smokers’ cue
reactivity to the use of a tank-based ENDS device with different VG content e-liquids. Study 1 will compare
subjective and behavioral responses to the use of ENDS with high vs. low VG e-liquids, relative to both a non-
smoking control cue (bottled water) and a cigarette cue (active comparison) in a diverse sample of adult daily
and nondaily smokers (N=320, 80/cue condition). Study 2 will examine subjective responses to the high VG e-
liquid ENDS cue compared to the control and active comparison cues in a sample of former smokers (N=240,
80/cue condition). Smoking behavior and cigarette reinforcement tasks will not be assessed in Study 2 for
ethical reasons as participants are not currently smokers.
Cue exposures will be delivered via a trained
confederate engaging in product use in the presence of the participant. Thus, this paradigm mimics real-world
exposures for ecological validity while retaining standardized cue delivery, hand to mouth movements, and
interaction quality
. The main dependent variables will be cigarette and e-cigarette desire, smoking urge, and
smoking behavior (latency to smoke, smoking choice), as well as secondary outcomes including affect,
cigarette reinforcement and attentional bias. The results will contribute to our scientific knowledge on the
effects of ENDS in terms of the downstream effects of product use. The proposed studies will play a critical
role in determining the role of e-liquid constituents that may factor into the ongoing debate about the ENDS’
potential benefit versus harm. Second-hand exposu...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9915868
- **Project number:** 5R01DA044210-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** ANDREA C KING
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $532,280
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-15 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9915868

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9915868, E-cigarette use as a smoking cue (5R01DA044210-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9915868. Licensed CC0.

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