Lowering nicotine in smoked tobacco products in New Zealand
Assessing the real-world impact of a low nicotine product standard for smoked tobacco in New Zealand
This project follows adults who smoke daily to measure how reducing nicotine in smoked tobacco affects their smoking habits and health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11382649 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a group of about 1,500 adults who smoke daily or nearly daily in New Zealand and be followed across the period when a low-nicotine rule is put in place. Researchers will collect regular online surveys about smoking behavior, do interviews about people's experiences, and obtain medical record information. The study also uses biological samples and physiological tests to measure exposure to smoke and health markers. The team follows participants before and after the policy change to see real-world effects over multiple years.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults (21 years or older) who smoke cigarettes or other smoked tobacco daily or almost daily and live in New Zealand.
Not a fit: People who do not smoke, who only use non-combusted products (like only vaping), underage individuals, or those living outside New Zealand are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show that a low-nicotine standard leads to less smoking, lower exposure to toxic smoke, and more quitting, which could improve health for people who smoke.
How similar studies have performed: Prior randomized trials with very low nicotine cigarettes have shown reductions in cigarettes per day, dependence, and smoke biomarkers and increased quit attempts, but real-world policy effects remain less tested.
Where this research is happening
Winston-Salem, United States
- Wake Forest University Health Sciences — Winston-Salem, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Denlinger-Apte, Rachel — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Denlinger-Apte, Rachel
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 below.