Regulatory ideas to help young adults quit vaping in a simulated vape shop
Official title: Regulatory Strategies for Promoting Cessation in a Simulated Experimental Tobacco Retail Lab Space
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11464595 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests two policy ideas in a realistic fake vape shop to see if easier access to quitting aids and visible stop-smoking resources help young adults who want to quit vaping.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 6, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $426,828 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA318548-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11464595 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young adults who vape and are interested in quitting.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without interest in quitting or not exposed to the simulated environment may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will use a state-of-the-art simulated vape shop called The Puff Point to test how two policies affect young adults’ vaping purchase decisions and their intentions to quit. They will examine whether providing nicotine replacement therapies and displaying cessation resources at the point of sale changes behavior in a controlled, lab-like setting. The study uses a 2x2 factorial design to separately and jointly evaluate these interventions. Results could inform real-world retail policies aimed at supporting quit attempts among young people who vape.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the interventions could guide regulations that make quitting aids more accessible and improve visibility of cessation resources for young vapers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous lab-based demonstrations suggest policy changes at the point of sale can influence cessation-related behaviors, but real-world effectiveness requires further study.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barrington-Trimis, Jessica Louise — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Barrington-Trimis, Jessica Louise
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.