Remote youth program with young-adult counselors and an app to help teens stop vaping and avoid cigarettes
Official title: Remote, Young Adult Lay-Counselor Delivered Behavioral and Digital Intervention for Youth to Promote Vaping Cessation and Prevent Escalation of Tobacco Use
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11187243 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program offers teens remote support from young-adult counselors plus a smartphone app to help them stop vaping and avoid starting cigarette smoking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 6, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $844,926 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA287721-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11187243 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
High-school-aged adolescents who currently use electronic nicotine devices (vape) and are interested in remote, app-based counseling to stop.
✕Less likely to help
People who only smoke traditional cigarettes, are outside the targeted adolescent age range, or who are not willing to use a smartphone app and remote counseling may not benefit.
What this research studies
You would work with a young-adult lay counselor through remote sessions and use a digital app that delivers tips, tracking, and reminders tailored to vaping cessation. The program combines behavioral counseling delivered by relatable counselors with app-based tools to support quitting and reduce relapse. The team will follow up regularly to track your vaping, offer support, and encourage abstinence. Participation is designed for high-school-aged teens and delivered so you can join from home using a phone or computer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help teens quit vaping, reduce nicotine dependence, and lower the chance of progressing to combustible tobacco use.
How similar studies have gone: There are few proven treatments specifically for adolescent vaping, so this combined lay-counselor plus digital approach is relatively new though counseling and apps have shown benefits for adult smoking cessation.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Evins, a Eden — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Evins, a Eden
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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.