Help for teens to quit vaping with a smartphone app or virtual counseling
Official title: Vaping Cessation among youth: Evaluating the feasibility and efficacy of a virtual in-person CBT and an app-based CBT4CBT
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11177758 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares a teen-focused quitting app called Kick‑Nic! with weekly virtual or in-person CBT to help 12–20-year-olds stop using e-cigarettes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,023,504 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285216-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177758 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents aged 12–20 who currently use e-cigarettes at least one day per week and attend a participating high school.
✕Less likely to help
This project is not designed for non-vapers, adults, or teens without smartphone access or those needing intensive medical treatment for severe nicotine dependence.
What this research studies
You would join through a participating high school and either use the Kick‑Nic! smartphone app or take part in weekly virtual/in-person cognitive-behavioral sessions. The randomized trial plans to enroll about 306 teens who vape at least one day per week and uses text reminders and regular check-ins to keep you engaged. The app includes videos, interactive exercises, and coping skills built with input from other adolescents, and earlier small pilots showed high usability and retention. The study will track your vaping using surveys and biochemical measures to see who achieves abstinence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give teens an easy-to-use app and support option to help them quit vaping.
How similar studies have gone: Some adult smoking cessation apps and CBT programs have shown promise, but large-scale, adolescent-focused app interventions for e-cigarette quitting are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra
Related research
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Flavor rules and youth smoking/vaping: what happens when flavors are restricted
A nationwide study will look at how banning or limiting flavored tobacco products affects how often adults and youth smoke or vape.
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Vaping cessation for teens using Kick-Nic! and a CBT app
A Youth-focused program tests a CBT-based smartphone app and a virtual in-person CBT to help teens quit vaping.
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Social media groups help teens quit vaping
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Parents Helping Parents: A Two-Arm Trial to Help Teens Quit Vaping
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How vaping prevention ads affect teens and young adults
A nationwide project looks at which vaping-prevention video ads work best for teens and young adults and how they might reduce vaping when shown online.
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Motivation-based teen vaping profile to guide quitting help
Aims to understand why adolescents vape and use that knowledge to tailor stopping tools that fit teens.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.