Instagram group program to help teens quit vaping
Official title: Social media support groups for adolescent vaping cessation
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11189773 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program uses Instagram direct-message groups to help teens and young adults (ages 13–21) stop using e-cigarettes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $676,818 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA292971-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11189773 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Teens and young adults aged 13–21 who currently use e-cigarettes and are willing to join and use Instagram group messaging are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Teens under 13, people without an Instagram account or unwilling to engage in group messaging, or those not ready to quit vaping may not receive benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If I join the 'Quit the Hit' program, I'll be placed in a small Instagram direct-message group with other teens for peer support and quitting tips. The program was co-created with hundreds of adolescents and has already been tested in a randomized trial with promising preliminary results. It focuses on mid-to-late adolescents aged 13–21 and uses messaging and moderated peer interaction rather than in-person visits. The whole program is delivered through Instagram, making participation flexible and scalable.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help more teens quit vaping, reduce vaping-related health risks like asthma and heart effects, and reach many young people through social media.
How similar studies have gone: Few vaping cessation programs exist for adolescents and none have been widely delivered via social media, but this program's preliminary randomized trial data show higher short-term abstinence, making it a promising new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ling, Pamela May — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Ling, Pamela May
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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.