Phone-delivered smell therapy to cut cigarette cravings and help people quit
An Innovative Digitally-Delivered Olfactory Method for Reducing Cigarette Cravings and Supporting Smoking Cessation
This project offers short, guided sniffing of specific scents through a smartphone app to help adult smokers lower cravings and quit cigarettes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11191452 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would use a smartphone app that pairs an established quitting program with brief, intentional sniffing of selected scents when cravings hit. The team will refine how and when the scents are delivered and pilot the combined approach in real-world settings. The work builds on lab and small pilot studies that found scent inhalation can reduce cigarette craving. If you join, you may be asked to use the Android app, follow prompts to sniff provided scents, and complete follow-up checks while trying to quit.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) who currently smoke cigarettes and want help quitting and who can use a smartphone (likely Android) are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who do not smoke, are not trying to quit, have no sense of smell, or lack smartphone access are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If it works, this could give smokers an easy, low-cost tool to reduce cravings and improve chances of quitting.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory and pilot studies suggest scent inhalation can cut craving, but combining it with a phone-based quit program is a new, not-yet-proven approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Houston — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Garey, Lorra — University of Houston
- Study coordinator: Garey, Lorra
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.