Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
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Smoking cannabis may potentially increase exposure to numerous toxic chemicals that are commonly associated with tobacco use. There is a paucity of data related to toxicant exposures among concurrent users of tobacco and cannabis (co-users). ⋯ With disproportionately greater rates of cannabis use occurring among tobacco users, it is critical to consider how concurrent cannabis use may influence health-related outcomes among smokers. Our findings suggest potential additive toxicant exposures among co-users of tobacco and cannabis. Lack of consideration and measurement of cannabis use in assessing tobacco-related exposures may confound estimates thought to be attributable to tobacco, particularly for non-specific biomarkers. Assessing tobacco and cannabis use in tandem will allow for more precise measurement of outcomes related to one or both substances, and can provide additional information on potential health effects related to co-use.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Smoking Topography Characteristics During a 6-Week Trial of Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes in Smokers With Serious Mental Illness.
A nicotine-reduction policy could have major benefits for smokers with serious mental illness (SMI). However, potential unintended consequences, such as compensatory smoking, should be considered to ensure that such a policy does not negatively affect this population. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine the impact of smoking very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes for 6 weeks on smoking topography characteristics, indicators of compensatory smoking, among smokers with SMI. ⋯ Given the high smoking rates among people with SMI, understanding how a nicotine-reduction policy may affect this population is critically important. When considering the smoking topography results as a whole, smokers with SMI did not engage in compensatory smoking behavior when using VLNC cigarettes during a 6-week trial. Study findings suggest that compensatory smoking is not likely to occur among smokers with SMI if nicotine content is lowered to minimally addictive levels.
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Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use (vaping) has increased in recent years. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death associated with smoking. ⋯ With the increase of e-cigarette use in recent years, the health effects of e-cigarettes need to be investigated. While several studies have examined the association of vaping with respiratory symptoms among adolescents, little is known about the association of vaping with susceptibility to COPD among US adults. Using cross-sectional national survey data in adults, our study showed that vaping was significantly associated with self-reported COPD diagnosis. Although our data did not establish the causal relationship between vaping and self-reported COPD diagnosis, this study raises concerns about the observed association between vaping and self-reported COPD diagnosis.
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Real-world evidence regarding likely long-term health effects of e-vapor products (EVP) under actual use conditions relative to cigarette smoking is not well studied. ⋯ Cigarette smoking causes serious diseases. Switching from a combustible tobacco product to a noncombustible product is a potential harm reduction pathway for adult smokers unable or unwilling to quit. Real-world evidence regarding the relative risk of EVP use compared with cigarettes is not well established. This study provides data specific to BOE to tobacco smoke constituents and biomarkers of potential harm collected under actual use conditions in a real-world setting. The totality of evidence suggests that exclusive EVP use may present lower health risk compared with smoking cigarettes.
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The Tobacco Regulatory Science Program is a collaborative research effort between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2013, the NIH funded 14 Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS), which serve as partners in establishing research, training, and professional development programs to guide FDA. Each of the fourteen TCORS, and two other NIH-funded research programs, the Center for the Evaluation of Nicotine in Cigarettes (CENIC) and the Consortium on Methods Evaluating Tobacco (COMET), pursued specific research themes relevant to FDA's priorities. ⋯ The major subareas and findings from each priority area are presented. There were 766 articles in total, with 258 (34%) focusing on youth and/or young adults. Findings relevant to FDA from this review concern impact analysis, toxicity, health effects, addiction, marketing influences, communications, and behavior.