# Yale Center for the Study of Tobacco Product Use and Addiction: Flavors, Nicotine and Other Constituents (YCSTP)

> **NIH NIH U54** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $3,999,492

## Abstract

Overall Abstract: YCSTP
Tobacco use and addiction remain among the top 10 public health problems in the USA19 To protect the public
health, regulatory measures that lessen the appeal and abuse liability of tobacco products are critically needed
(WHO-FCTC, 2012). The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA) prohibits the
addition of characterizing artificial or natural flavors to tobacco cigarettes. However, menthol is exempt and
other tobacco products include a wide variety of flavors. Further regulations of flavors depend on research
addressing the significant gap in our understanding of the influence of flavors on the appeal of tobacco/nicotine
and the initiation, progression and maintenance of tobacco use18. To address this knowledge gap, the YCSTP
uses a multidisciplinary approach to generate essential TRS evidence in the FDA priority domains, Behavior
and Addiction. Toward this end, we will examine the role of different classes of flavors (sweet and cool)
including sweeteners and novel cool flavors, on initiation, continued use and addiction to nicotine/tobacco, and
their relevance to harm reduction. We will build on the methods and findings generated in Yale TCORS-1, and
integrate biological and behavioral testing in animal models with behavioral and pharmacological testing in
humans to generate a firm scientific foundation for regulation of flavors and nicotine in tobacco products.
Project 1 (Jordt/Addy) will use novel and established pre-clinical paradigms to paradigms to examine if
preconditioning to flavors and sweeteners influences emergence of nicotine use behaviors and addiction, and
the influence of novel cooling agents that may ultimately replace menthol in tobacco products. Project 2
(Krishnan-Sarin/Green) will examine the influence of sweet and cool flavors on initiation behaviors among
human youth who are relatively early on the tobacco initiation spectrum and are susceptible to future use. This
project will also examine if sweet and cool flavors are differentially important for altering nicotine reward, and
facilitating switching behaviors, in younger and older combustible tobacco users. Project 3 (Sofuoglu) will
determine the optimal delivery rates that are needed by combustible tobacco users to relieve nicotine
withdrawal while producing minimal positive effects, and whether the influence of this delivery rate is altered if
combustible tobacco users switch from using mentholated to non-mentholated products. YCSTP goals will be
supported by 1) an administrative core that will facilitate and ensure successful completion of all proposed and
new research and support collaborations within and across YCSTP, other TCORS, NIH and FDA-CTP, 2) a
laboratory core that will provide critical analyses of tobacco products, vapor as well as markers of biological
exposure to nicotine and flavors, and 3) by a career enhancement core that will promote the development of
fellows and junior faculty as independent TRS investigator...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9999549
- **Project number:** 5U54DA036151-08
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** SUCHITRA KRISHNAN-SARIN
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $3,999,492
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-09-30 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9999549

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9999549, Yale Center for the Study of Tobacco Product Use and Addiction: Flavors, Nicotine and Other Constituents (YCSTP) (5U54DA036151-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9999549. Licensed CC0.

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