How price, availability, and cues influence marijuana and cigarette use in young adults
Official title: Using Novel Behavioral Economic Measures to Characterize Dual Marijuana and Tobacco Use in Young Adults
Run by Brown University · NCT07398443 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will see if changing price, availability, and exposure to cues changes how 18- to 25-year-olds who smoke both marijuana and tobacco choose between them.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 25 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Brown University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Providence, Rhode Island) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 17, 2026 |
| Main results expected | November 30, 2028 |
| Study ends | November 30, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | March 4, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07398443 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are 18–25-year-olds who currently smoke commercial tobacco cigarettes at least once weekly and use marijuana at least weekly (≥4 times in the past 30 days), who purchase their own products and are not trying to quit.
✕Probably not a fit
People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, intend to quit within 30 days, have heavy other drug or alcohol use, test positive for recent THC on saliva, have any breath alcohol above zero, or exclusively roll their own cigarettes are excluded and unlikely to benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This multi-session experimental protocol enrolls 120 non-treatment-seeking young adults (ages 18–25) who currently smoke both commercial tobacco cigarettes and marijuana. Participants complete a baseline screening with urine toxicology and a breathalyzer, then attend three in-person laboratory sessions that use a novel cross-price elasticity of demand task and cue-induced demand tasks to measure how price, availability, and cues affect use and choice. The protocol also includes self-report measures and a qualitative exit interview to capture subjective experiences and decision drivers. Results are intended to clarify behavioral mechanisms of co-use and inform cessation strategies and public health policy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help shape more effective cessation programs and policy approaches to reduce long-term health and cancer risk among young adults who use both substances.
How similar studies have gone: Behavioral economic tasks and cue-reactivity paradigms have been used successfully in substance-use research, but applying cross-price elasticity specifically to dual marijuana–tobacco co-use is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Males/females who are 18 to 25 years of age 2. Young adults who currently smoke commercial tobacco cigarettes (≥1x weekly in the past 30 days and for the past six months) 3. Young adults who currently smoke marijuana (≥4 times in past 30 days and at least weekly on average for the last six months) 4. Participants must report purchasing their own tobacco and marijuana at least once in the past 6 months 5. Participants must speak, comprehend, and read English. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Intention to quit marijuana or tobacco use in the next 30 days 2. Self-reported illicit drug or heavy episodic alcohol use on \>20 days in the past month (excluding marijuana) 3. Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding 4. Positive saliva test for recent THC use 5. Breath alcohol level above 0 at any session. 6. Participants who exclusively roll their own tobacco cigarettes
Where it's running
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Brown University School of Public Health
Providence, Rhode Island, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Elizabeth Aston, PhD
- Email: elizabeth_aston@brown.edu
- Phone: 401-863-6668
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.