Tobacco Regulatory Science

Hand Nicotine and Cotinine In Children Exposed to Cigars: A Pilot Study
Mahabee-Gittens EM, Matt GE, Jandarov RJ and Merianos AL
Past research has not examined secondhand and thirdhand smoke (THS) exposure in children of cigar smokers. We examined hand nicotine and cotinine levels in children of cigar smokers to explore the contribution of cigar smoke to tobacco smoke exposure (TSE).
E-cigarette Solvent Ratio and Device Power Influence Ambient Air Particulate Matter
Eversole A, Crabtree M, Spindle TR, Baassiri M, Eissenberg T and Breland A
Electronic cigarette (ECIG)-generated aerosol contains particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 microns (PM). Particles of this size may be injurious to the health of those who inhale them. Few studies have assessed the relationship between ECIG aerosol PM and ECIG liquid ingredients or ECIG device power.
Who Purchases Tobacco Online? Findings from Waves 1 and 4 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study
King JL, Merten JW and Nicksic NE
We examined the prevalence of and factors associated with usually purchasing tobacco online.
Evaluating Cigarette Pack Insert Messages with Tips to Quit
Loud EE, Lambert VC, Porticella N, Niederdeppe J and Thrasher JF
Canada is the only country that currently uses cigarette pack inserts to communicate health messages to smokers, including tips to quit. Messages about strategies for quitting smoking are also central to the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Every Try Counts (ETC) campaign. This study assessed US smokers' responses to Canadian and ETC-based messages formatted for pack inserts.
Tweets About Acute Nicotine Toxicity Due to e-Liquid Exposure
Trigger S, Johnson MA, Zarndt AN and Hill DK
Intentional and unintentional exposures to electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) e-liquids can cause illness and death. In this study, we describe acute nicotine toxicity due to e-liquid exposure (ANTEE) information found on Twitter and contextualize ANTEE experiences to clarify conditions associated with exposure.
Effects of Visual Exposure to IQOS Use on Smoking Urge and Behavior
Brett EI, Miloslavich K, Vena A, Didier N and King AC
In this study, we examined whether visual exposure to the heated tobacco product (HTP) IQOS, which was authorized for sale by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2019, acts as a cue to increase cigarette craving and smoking behavior among smokers.
Young Adult E-cigarette Use and Retail Exposure in 6 US Metropolitan Areas
Berg CJ, Duan X, Getachew B, Pulvers K, Crawford ND, Sussman S, Ma Y, Jones-Harrell C and Henriksen L
Given the need to understand e-cigarette retail and its impact, we examined sociodemographic, tobacco and marijuana use, and e-cigarette retail experiences as correlates of (1) past 30-day e-cigarette use, (2) past 30-day advertising/media exposure, and (3) point-of-sale age verification among young adults.
No Butts on the Beach: Aquatic Toxicity of Cigarette Butt Leachate Chemicals
Venugopal PD, Hanna SK, Gagliano GG and Chang HW
Toxic pollutants leaching from littered cigarette butts (CB) raise environmental impact concerns. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to assess the environmental impacts of its tobacco regulatory actions per the US National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Longitudinal Uses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study
Piesse A, Opsomer J, Dohrmann S, DiGaetano R, Morganstein D, Taylor K, Carusi C and Hyland A
The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study is a nationally representative study of the US population on tobacco use and its effects on health, with 3 waves of data collection between 2013 and 2016. Prior work described the methods of the first wave. In this paper, we describe the methods of the subsequent 2 waves and provide recommendations for how to conduct longitudinal analyses of PATH Study data.
Variable Voltage, Tank-Style ENDS Do Not Always Deliver Nicotine
Eversole A, Maloney S, Talih S, Salman R, Karaoghlanian N, Lipato T, Eissenberg T and Breland A
This study's objective was to characterize the nicotine delivery profile of a variable voltage, tank-style electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS).
Examination of Voluntary Compliance with New FDA Cigar Warning Label Requirements
Wackowski OA, Kurti M, Schroth KRJ and Delnevo CD
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new requirements to strengthen and increase the size of cigar warnings. Although these requirements were challenged in court by the cigar industry, and later struck down, cigar manufacturers had the option of voluntarily complying during the injunction. In this study, we examined voluntary warning compliance on a sample of discarded cigar wrappers.
Sponsorship Disclosures and Perceptions of E-cigarette Instagram Posts
Vogel EA, Guillory J and Ling PM
Instagram influencers have many followers and are often paid to promote products, including e-cigarettes. This experimental study assessed effects of sponsorship disclosures on perceptions of e-cigarette Instagram influencer posts.
Comparison of Measurement Methods for Electronic Cigarette Puff Topography
Felicione NJ, Karaoghlanian N, Shihadeh A, Eissenberg T and Blank MD
Measurement of electronic cigarette (ECIG) puff topography provides an understanding of how product characteristics and user behavior affect nicotine delivery. However, mouthpiece-based topography devices may affect natural puffing behavior. This study was designed to compare ECIG topography measured by mouthpiece-based eTop computerized device and mouthpiece-free video recordings.
Observed Circumvention of the Gutka Smokeless Tobacco Ban in Mumbai, India
Adhikari K, Pednekar MS, Stepanov I, Singh A, Nikam S, Singhavi H, Gota V, Ahluwalia JS, Chaturvedi P, Gupta PC and Khariwala SS
Gutka is industrially manufactured in India and some Indian states have instituted bans on the sale of manufactured gutka as a public health initiative. We explored whether gutka was still available for purchase after the ban and also sought to observe methods of ban circumvention.
Method Validation Approaches for Analysis of Constituents in ENDS
Reilly SM, Cheng T and DuMond J
We assessed how many peer-reviewed publications reporting chemical quantities and/or yields from electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) have included adequate method validation characteristics in the publication for appropriate interpretation of data quality for informing tobacco regulatory science.
An Analysis of the FTC's Attempt to Stop the Altria-Juul Labs Deal
Levy DT, Douglas CE, Sanchez-Romero LM, Cummings KM and Sweanor DT
On 20 December 2018, Altria, the largest US cigarette company, announced an offer for a 35% share of the large and rapidly growing vaping product company, Juul Labs. On 2 April, 2020, the Federal Trade Commission issued a complaint that the deal was anticompetitive and should be voided. This paper analyzes the deal. We find that the deal gives Altria market power in the e-cigarette market through its support of Juul in retail stores and through the agreement not to otherwise compete in the e-cigarette market. The deal also has implications for its marketing of heated tobacco product IQOS and generally may provide Altria greater control of the broader nicotine delivery product market.
Waterpipe Tobacco Warnings Need to Inform Users of Harm
Moumen M, Brinkman M, Keller-Hamilton B, Teferra AA, Roberts ME, Klein EG, Nini P, Pennell M and Ferketich AK
Health warning messages could be an effective means of communicating the health risks associated with waterpipe (WP) smoking. The objective of this study was to select a message that conveyed the risks associated with WP smoking.
Menthol, Nicotine, and Flavoring Content of Capsule Cigarettes in the US
Schneller LM, Bansal-Travers M, Mahoney MC, McCann SE and O'Connor RJ
Characterize physical design features of cigarette brands sold in the US according to the delivery method of menthol that may affect sensory perception among users.
Age Verification and Online Sales of Little Cigars and Cigarillos to Minors
Williams RS, Phillips-Weiner KJ and Vincus AA
In our cross-sectional study, we aimed to determine age verification and sales of little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs) online to underage teens.
People in E-Cigarette Ads Attract More Attention: An Eye-Tracking Study
Stevens EM, Johnson AL, Leshner G, Sun F, Kim S, Leavens ELS, Tackett AP, Hébert ET and Wagener TL
Minimally regulated electronic cigarettes (e-cigarette) advertising may be one potential factor driving the increasing prevalence of young adult e-cigarette use. Using eye-tracking, the current study examined which e-cigarette advertising features were the most appealing to young adults as a first step to examine how e-cigarette advertising may be regulated.
A Peek Past the Vape Clouds: Vape Shop Decline in Long Beach, California during 2015-2018
Lanza HI and Pittman PS
The current study adds to the literature on vape shops by evaluating vape shop growth in an urban community over a 3-year period, assessing similarities and differences across the vape shop context, and addressing whether socialization spaces within vape shops are associated with a vape shop's ultimate success - remaining operational. As e-cigarette/vaping use enters its second decade in the US market, its regulation and status as a novel form of substance use is evolving; accordingly, it is unknown whether the presence of vape shops has changed as well.