Perceptions of Vaping Products

Perceptions of Vaping Products Among Young Adults

This clinical trial studies the effects, appeal, and abuse liability of 6-methyl nicotine (metatine) electronic cigarettes among young adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Exposure; Abuse Tobacco
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Biospecimen Collection; Other: Survey Administration; Behavioral: Vaping Topography; Other: Participant's Own Preferred E-cigarette; Other: Nicotine E-cigarette; Other: 6-methyl-nicotine (metatine) e-cigarette

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Assess the pharmacokinetics of metatine and nicotine electronic (e)-cigarettes.

II. Assess the abuse liability and appeal of commercial e-cigarettes containing metatine versus nicotine.

III. Determine the impact of metatine on e-cigarette puffing behavior (topography).

OUTLINE: Participants attend 3 sessions where they will be randomized to 1 of 3 types of e-cigarette. Participants will use the e-cigarette ad-libitum for 30 minutes and answer survey questions about their perceptions of the e-cigarette. Participants must also undergo 4 blood draws during the vaping session.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 53
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210
      • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 21-34 years
• Current nicotine EC user (defined as ≥ weekly use over the past 3 months)
• Willing to provide informed consent and abstain from using any e-cigarette at least 12 hours prior to the three lab sessions
• Read and speak English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Recently coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive (defined as a positive test in the past 30 days) or a recent COVID-19 hospitalization (defined as a hospitalization within the past 6 months)
• Unstable or significant psychiatric conditions (past and stable conditions will be allowed)
• History of cardiac event or distress within the past 3 months
• Have suffered from any serious lung disease or infection (e.g., tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, or lung cancer) in the past 30 days
• Are currently pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding (will be verified with urine pregnancy test)
• Have hemophilia or another type of bleeding disorder
• Are blind, severely visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or have a severe motor disability

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Participant's personal nicotine e-cigarette; The study participant's own preferred e-cigarette will be used for this condition.	Other: Biospecimen Collection; Undergo blood sample collection; Other Names: Biological Sample Collection; Other: Survey Administration; Complete Surveys; Behavioral: Vaping Topography; Use e-cigarette connected to a topography device; Other: Participant's Own Preferred E-cigarette; Participant vapes their own preferred e-cigarette for 30 minutes
Active Comparator: Nicotine e-cigarette; A fruit flavored commercially available nicotine e-cigarette will be used for this condition.	Other: Biospecimen Collection; Undergo blood sample collection; Other Names: Biological Sample Collection; Other: Survey Administration; Complete Surveys; Behavioral: Vaping Topography; Use e-cigarette connected to a topography device; Other: Nicotine E-cigarette; Participant vapes a commercially available nicotine e-cigarette for 30 minutes
Active Comparator: 6-methyl nicotine (metatine) e-cigarette; A fruit flavored commercially available metatine e-cigarette will be used for this condition.	Other: Biospecimen Collection; Undergo blood sample collection; Other Names: Biological Sample Collection; Other: Survey Administration; Complete Surveys; Behavioral: Vaping Topography; Use e-cigarette connected to a topography device; Other: 6-methyl-nicotine (metatine) e-cigarette; Participant vapes a commercially available metatine e-cigarette for 30 minutes

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pharmacokinetics of metatine and nicotine e-cigarettes	Pharmacokinetics of metatine and nicotine e-cigarettes will be examined by measuring the concentration of metatine and nicotine in blood plasma at different timepoints throughout the study vaping session.	Pre-vaping session, Minute 5 of vaping session, Minute 15 of vaping session, Minute 30 of vaping session
Sensory perceptions of EC vaping experience	Sensory perceptions of vaping will be measured by the Sensory E-cigarette Expectancies Scale (SEES) questionnaire. The SEES asks questions about sensory experiences associated with vaping on a scale from 0 (Never) - 4 (Almost Always).	Minute 5 of vaping session, Minute 30 of vaping session
Relief of withdrawal symptoms	Nicotine withdrawal relief will be measured by the Minnesota Nicotine Withdraw Scale (MNWS). The MNWS asks users how much they are currently feeling certain nicotine withdraw symptoms on a scale of None, Slight, Moderate, Mild, or Severe.	Pre-vaping session, Minute 5 of Vaping Session, Minute 30 of vaping session
E-cigarette puffing behavior	E-cigarette puffing behavior will be measured with a topography device that records frequency, duration, and flow rate of e-cigarette puffs. These measures are combined to inform the overall measure of e-cigarette puffing behavior.	Week 1, Week 2, Week 3
Appeal ratings	Participants will rate appeal (e.g., liking, disliking) on Visual Analogue Scales (range, 0-100).	Minute 5 of vaping session, Minute 30 of vaping session
Sensory ratings	Participants will rate sensory attributes (e.g., harshness, coolness) on Visual Analogue Scales (range, 0-100).	Minute 5 of vaping session, Minute 30 of vaping session

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Alayna P Tackett, PhD, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• The Jamesline

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 3, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 4, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): November 4, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 14, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 6, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 10, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 22, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 15, 2025
• Last Verified: September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Tobacco Use Disorder; Manufactured Materials; Technology, Industry, and Agriculture; Smoking Devices; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
• Other Study ID Numbers: OSU-24276; NCI-2024-10267 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

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