Very low nicotine cigarettes to help quitting for people with chronic back pain
Official title: Very low nicotine content cigarettes for smoking cessation in individuals with chronic pain
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11430727 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study will test whether switching to very low nicotine cigarettes helps people with chronic back pain quit smoking and feel less pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $722,472 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DA067195-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11430727 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with chronic back pain who smoke and want to quit.
✕Less likely to help
People without chronic back pain or those not seeking to quit may not benefit.
What this research studies
If you have chronic back pain and smoke, this study tests whether using cigarettes with very little nicotine can reduce pain and make it easier to quit. It uses a randomized, blinded design to compare VLNCs with regular nicotine content cigarettes while supporting a quit attempt. Researchers will look at pain intensity, smoking abstinence, and factors that predict who benefits most, using machine learning on participant data. The study builds on a small earlier trial and aims to confirm findings in a larger group over several months.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants may experience less pain while quitting and higher chances of staying smoke-free.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary results showed pain reductions and higher quit rates with VLNC cigarettes in a small group.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sweitzer, Maggie M — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Sweitzer, Maggie M
Related research
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A study to see if switching people who smoke and are on buprenorphine for opioid use disorder and chronic pain to cigarettes with very low nicotine can help them quit smoking.
-
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Very low nicotine cigarettes to help people on buprenorphine with chronic pain quit smoking
This compares switching to very low nicotine cigarettes versus regular cigarettes for people with opioid use disorder who have chronic pain to see if it reduces smoking, cravings, withdrawal, and pain.
-
Helping Veterans with Chronic Pain Quit Smoking
This project helps Veterans who have chronic pain and smoke find better ways to quit.
-
Using very low nicotine cigarettes to help people with opioid use disorder and chronic pain quit smoking
This study is looking at whether switching to very low nicotine cigarettes can help people with opioid use disorder and chronic pain quit smoking, by tracking their cravings and smoking habits over four weeks to see how it affects their pain and withdrawal symptoms.
-
Social stress and smoking: why disadvantaged young adults struggle to quit
This grant looks at how daily social stress affects if and when disadvantaged young adults who smoke can quit and stay quit.
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.