Using ANDS to Reduce Harm for Low SES Cigarette Smokers

Using Alternative Nicotine Delivery Systems (ANDS) to Reduce Harm for Low SES Cigarette Smokers. (Tri-PEC Study)

This study investigates whether providing 8 weeks of complimentary electronic cigarettes (EC) or nicotine pouches (NP) to low socioeconomic status (SES) adults who smoke and are unable or unwilling to quit smoking will lead to: a) substitution of cigarette smoking with EC or NP; and b) reduced biological indicators of tobacco use and harm relative to those continuing to smoke as usual. This study also examines the feasibility and acceptability of providing EC or NP to help substitution of combustible cigarettes, exploring willingness to participate, continuing with the study, and barriers to substitution through interviews. This project will enroll 45 low SES adults who smoke and will be randomized to one of the three groups that will be followed for 8 weeks: EC, NP, or smoking as usual.

The first study hypothesis is that participants receiving EC or NP will smoke fewer cigarettes per day and have lower cigarette dependence at Week 8 relative to their baseline level, and when compared to the control group. The second hypothesis is that those in the EC or NP group will have greater cigarette abstinence than those smoking as usual at Week 8. There are no anticipated differences between those receiving EC and NP. The third hypothesis is that biological indicators of tobacco use and harm will be lower in those receiving EC or NP relative to their baseline level, and when compared to the control group. The hypothesis is that these biological indicators will be lower in those receiving NP than EC.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Nicotine Dependence; Smoking, Cigarette
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Nicotine (electronic cigarette); Other: Nicotine (nicotine pouch)

Detailed Description

This study investigates whether providing 8 weeks of complimentary electronic cigarettes (EC) or nicotine pouches (NP) to low socioeconomic status (SES) adults who smoke and are unable or unwilling to quit smoking will lead to: a) substitution of cigarette smoking with EC or NP; and b) reduced biological indicators of tobacco use and harm relative to those continuing to smoke as usual. This study also examines the feasibility and acceptability of providing EC or NP to help substitution of combustible cigarettes, exploring willingness to participate, continuing with the study, and barriers to substitution through interviews. This project will enroll 45 low SES adults who smoke and will be randomized to one of the three groups that will be followed for 8 weeks: EC, NP, or smoking as usual. At the start of the study, participants will provide informed consent; biological indicators and self-report measures will be collected; and participants will be randomly assigned to one of the 3 groups. Participants in the EC or NP groups will be allowed to experiment with EC or NP flavors prior to receiving an adequate supply of the product to fully substitute combustible smoking for four weeks. Participants in these two groups will also receive encouragement to fully switch from cigarettes to EC or NP. Participants will have 3 in-person visits (baseline, week 4, week 8) and 4 phone visits (weeks 1, 3, 7, and 16). At the week 4 in-person visit, participants will receive a second four-week product supply. Participants will also receive ongoing encouragement to fully substitute with EC or NPs whenever participants would normally smoke. Biomarkers and self-report measures will be reassessed at the Week 8 visit after which participants will complete a debriefing interview. Participants will complete a final report at Week 16.

The first study hypothesis is that participants receiving EC or NP will smoke fewer cigarettes per day and have lower cigarette dependence at Week 8 relative to their baseline level, and when compared to the control group. The second hypothesis is that those in the EC or NP group will have greater cigarette abstinence than those smoking as usual at Week 8. There are no anticipated differences between those receiving EC and NP. The third hypothesis is that biological indicators of tobacco use and harm will be lower in those receiving EC or NP relative to their baseline level, and when compared to the control group. The hypothesis is that these biological indicators will be lower in those receiving NP than EC.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 45
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Jasjit S Ahluwalia, MD; Phone Number: 401-863-6654; Email: jasjit_ahluwalia@brown.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Jaqueline Contrera Avila, PhD; Phone Number: 401-863-3901; Email: jaqueline_avila@brown.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Rhode Island
    • Providence, Rhode Island, United States, 02912
      • Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University School of Public Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 21 (inclusive) years of age or greater
2. Past 6 months daily smoking of ≥ 5 cigarettes/day
3. Exhaled CO ≥ 6 ppm at baseline
4. Household income < 250% federal poverty level (FPL)
5. Willingness to substitute combustible cigarettes for EC or NPs
6. Ability to read and write in English
7. Own a telephone (landline or cellphone)

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Intention to quit smoking during the next 30 days
2. Current or past 30 day engagement in smoking cessation
3. Current use of EC or NP ≥ 4 days per month
4. Current self-report of primarily using tobacco products that are not combustible cigarettes
5. Urine-screened pregnancy
6. Hospitalization for a psychiatric issue in the past 30 days or visible instability
7. Other household member is a study participant
8. Participating in another clinical trial at the same time
9. Heart-related event in the past 30 days
10. Planning to move out of the Providence area in the next six months

Note: Cannabis use will be assessed but not excluded

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Electronic Cigarette; Participants in this experimental condition will be provided with a 4th generation electronic cigarette device and disposable cartridges.	Other: Nicotine (electronic cigarette); Participants will be provided with electronic cigarettes and 5% nicotine e-liquid cartridges for 8 weeks and encouraged at in-person and phone assessments to use the electronic cigarette any time they would normally smoke. Participants will be able to choose one of two e-liquid flavors (tobacco, menthol) at baseline.
Experimental: Nicotine Pouch; Participants in this experimental condition will be provided with nicotine pouches.	Other: Nicotine (nicotine pouch); Participants will be provided with 4mg nicotine pouches for 8 weeks and encouraged at in-person and phone assessments to use the nicotine pouches any time they would normally smoke. Participants will be able to choose one of two nicotine pouch flavors (tobacco, mint) at baseline.
No Intervention: Smoking As Usual; Participants in this assessment-only condition will continue smoking as usual.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in cigarettes per day from baseline to week 8	Within and between group difference in past week average cigarettes per day assessed using timeline follow-back (TLFB)	Assessed at baseline and week 8.
Change in cigarette dependence from baseline to week 8	Change in cigarette dependence within group and between groups. Assessed using the Strong et al measure adapted from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health survey	Assessed at baseline and week 8.
Cigarette abstinence at week 8	Past week any-use of cigarettes assessed using timeline follow-back (TLFB).	Week 8.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Carbon monoxide from baseline to week 8	Exhaled carbon monoxide assessed via Smokerlyzer and compared within group and between groups.	Assessed at baseline and week 8.
Change in cotinine from baseline to week 8	Creatinine-adjusted cotinine assessed via urine compared within group and between groups.	Assessed at baseline and week 8.
Change in NNAL from baseline to week 8	4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), a ratio of NNAL to creatinine-adjusted cotinine assessed via urine and compared within group and between groups.	Assessed at baseline and week 8.
Change in 8-isoprostane from baseline to week 8	8-isoprostane assessed via urine and compared within group and between groups	Assessed at baseline and week 8.
Feasibility and acceptability	Willingness to participate as measured by proportion of eligible participants following in-person screening who enroll in the study. Retention as measured by weeks of study participation. Barriers to substitution as indicated in qualitative exit interview.	through study completion, an average of 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Brown University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jasjit S Ahluwalia, MD, Brown University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 23, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 15, 2022
• Study Completion (Anticipated): February 9, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 27, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 11, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): April 14, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 26, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 25, 2023
• Last Verified: January 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: smoking; nicotine dependence; cigarette substitution; electronic nicotine delivery systems; ENDS; e-cigarette; nicotine pouch; low SES
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Tobacco Use Disorder; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Cholinergic Agents; Ganglionic Stimulants; Nicotinic Agonists; Cholinergic Agonists; Nicotine
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2105002986

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Yes
• IPD Plan Description: Deidentified study data except for transcriptions of qualitative interviews will be made available after the completion of all study activities.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: After closing the study IRB protocol and destroying all identifiers. Anticipated 2 years after completion of primary data collection. Data availability will be perpetual. Data dissemination plan is pending.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: Study Protocol; Analytic Code

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No