Evaluating withdrawal symptoms in e-cigarette users

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This project aims to rigorously assess the withdrawal symptoms experienced by exclusive e-cigarette users during a one-week monitored abstinence period. Participants will be assigned to one of three conditions: an active nicotine patch, a placebo patch, or no patch, to evaluate the role of nicotine in withdrawal expression. The study will utilize a residential laboratory design, collecting both behavioral and biological measures to establish a detailed timeline of withdrawal symptoms and the impact of nicotine. The findings could provide insights into the nature of e-cigarette withdrawal and inform cessation strategies.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion criteria:

1. 21-55 years old
2. good general health as reviewed by study medical team
3. vital signs in normal range as reviewed by study medical team
4. negative urine test for illicit drug use (excluding THC) and negative breath alcohol test
5. daily use of a nicotine-containing e-cigarette for at least 6 months
6. no regular use of other tobacco products (e.g., smokeless products) for at least 6 months
7. urine cotinine \>100ng/mL (i.e., recommended cutoff for confirming current nicotine use)
8. exhaled breath carbon monoxide (CO) \<6ppm
9. Penn State E-cigarette Dependence (PSED) score \>=4, indicating mild dependence or greater
10. have an interest in reducing e-cigarette use

Exclusion criteria:

1. psychoactive drug use (aside from cannabis, nicotine, alcohol, caffeine) in past month
2. current use of over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications that may impact safety
3. use cannabis \>2 times per week
4. history of or current significant medical condition that would impact participation or safety according to the study investigators and medical staff
5. current psychiatric condition or substance use disorder (aside from tobacco use disorder) that would impact participation or safety according to the study investigators and medical staff
6. enrollment in another trial
7. positive pregnancy test
8. currently using a nicotine/tobacco cessation product
9. seizure disorder or traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Where it's running

• Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit
  Baltimore, Maryland, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Justin Strickland, Ph.D. — Johns Hopkins University
• Study coordinator: Justin Strickland, Ph.D.
• Email: jstric14@jhmi.edu
• Phone: 4105501975

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Smoky Futures: Danish Adolescent Nicotine Use over Time

  This observational cohort follows Danish youths ages 15–25 to see how cigarette, e-cigarette, and other nicotine use begin, change, and affect health and education over several years.

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• Circuit breathing for quitting e-cigarettes among youth

  A small study tests whether a circuit breathing routine helps young e-cigarette users reduce withdrawal symptoms and improve breathing-related measures.

  Recruiting Chulalongkorn University · Bangkok, Bangkok · NCT07886099

• Behavioral Circuit Breathing Training for Smoking Cessation in Youth Who Use E-cigarettes

  A six-week circuit breathing training program is tested to see if it helps teens and young adults quit e-cigarettes and improve breathing compared with diaphragmatic breathing or usual activities.

  Recruiting Chulalongkorn University · Bangkok, Bangkok · NCT07882407

• Sex differences in how menthol e-cigarettes appeal to people who smoke

  This study tests whether men and women differ in how menthol e-cigarettes with or without nicotine appeal to smokers who have used e-cigarettes before.

  Recruiting Yale University · New Haven, Connecticut · NCT07398976

• Parents Helping Parents for Youth Vaping Cessation

  This project tests whether a parent-supported program can help teens quit vaping by pairing trained parent coaches with families.

  Recruiting University of Nebraska · Omaha, Nebraska · NCT07207850

• How a very-low-nicotine cigarette standard and product prices affect illegal cigarette buying

  This study will test whether requiring very-low-nicotine cigarettes and changing e-cigarette or illegal cigarette prices changes illegal cigarette buying and use of alternatives among adult smokers and dual users.

  Recruiting Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Roanoke, Virginia · NCT07161050

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.