Pilot Study of Communication for Dual Users of Cigarettes and E-cigarettes

Designing and Evaluating Communication for Dual Users of E-cigarettes and Combustible Cigarettes

The study is a pilot test of effectiveness of communication campaign ads on interest in quitting combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Over the course of 5 weeks, participants are sent ads that are designed to encourage quitting and then answer surveys.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Electronic Cigarettes; Tobacco Products; Cigarettes
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: communication

Detailed Description

Qualtrics Services will enroll 90 US adult dual users to participate in this study using existing panels. Inclusion criteria are current cigarette and e-cigarette use, age 18 or older, and ability read and answer questions in English, and willingness to receive text messages. Qualtrics will contact, screen, consent and randomize participants into 1 of 2 study arms: exposure to a 3 cycles of 6 ads encouraging them to quit smoking and vaping simultaneously or 6 ads encouraging them to quit sequentially (quitting smoking first followed by quitting vaping). The ads (one per day) are presented along with brief daily surveys. The primary outcome in intent to quit smoking.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 90
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: M. Justin Byron, PhD; Phone Number: 919-966-3292; Email: jbyron@unc.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599
      • Recruiting
      • Recruitment is online and national, using existing Qualtrics survey panels
      • Contact: M. Justin Byron, PhD; Phone Number: 919-966-3292; Email: jbyron@unc.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• use cigarettes every day or some days
• use e-cigarettes every day or some days
• age 18 or older
• ability to read and answer questions in English

Exclusion Criteria:

• under age 18

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Simultaneous quit messages; Participants in this arm receive messages encouraging them to quit both cigarettes and e-cigarettes at the same time.	Other: communication; Participants view an image that is an ad designed to encourage them to quit their use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.; Other Names: advertising
Experimental: Sequential quit messages; Participants in this arm receive messages encouraging them to quit cigarettes first, followed by e-cigarettes.	Other: communication; Participants view an image that is an ad designed to encourage them to quit their use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.; Other Names: advertising

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cigarette quit intention	A three question scale of interest in quitting cigarettes: How [interested are you in quitting / likely are you to quit / much do you intend to quit] smoking cigarettes in the next 6 months? 4 point response scale.	Measured at baseline (Day 0) weekly surveys (Days 7, 14), post 1 survey (Day 21), and post 2 survey (Day 35)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
E-cigarette quit intention	A three question scale of interest in quitting vaping (e-cigarettes): How [interested are you in quitting / likely are you to quit / much do you intend to quit] vaping in the next 6 months? 4 point response scale.	Measured at baseline (Day 0) weekly surveys (Days 7, 14), post 1 survey (Day 21), and post 2 survey (Day 35)
Cigarette quit attempts	A question: In the last 7 days, have you attempted to stop smoking cigarettes? (yes/no)	Measured at baseline (Day 0) weekly surveys (Days 7, 14), post 1 survey (Day 21), and post 2 survey (Day 35)
E-cigarette quit attempts	A question: In the last 7 days, have you attempted to stop vaping? (yes/no)	Measured at baseline (Day 0) weekly surveys (Days 7, 14), post 1 survey (Day 21), and post 2 survey (Day 35)
Forgoing cigarettes	A question: In the last 7 days, how many times did you stop yourself from having a cigarette because you wanted to smoke less? [numerical response 0-250]	Measured at baseline (Day 0) weekly surveys (Days 7, 14), post 1 survey (Day 21), and post 2 survey (Day 35)
Forgoing e-cigarettes	A question: In the last 7 days, how many times did you stop yourself from vaping because you wanted to smoke less? [numerical response 0-250]	Measured at baseline (Day 0) weekly surveys (Days 7, 14), post 1 survey (Day 21), and post 2 survey (Day 35)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Collaborators: National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Trials

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 24, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 14, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 14, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 14, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: dual use; communication campaign; tobacco cesation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Smoking; Vaping; Technology, Industry, and Agriculture; Commerce; Marketing; Advertising
• Other Study ID Numbers: 25-2560; K01CA253234 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: With the small sample size, we would want to ensure participants are not identifiable.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No