Oral non-combusted tobacco products have the greatest likelihood of leading to harm reduction compared to other potential reduced exposure products (Gray et al., 2005;Hatsukami &Hecht, 2005). Tobacco companies have been developing and marketing oral tobacco products that appeal to cigarette smokers as a """"""""substitute"""""""" for cigarettes. Some public health researchers believe that switching smokers to oral tobacco would lead to a significant reduction in mortality and morbidity and point to data showing significantly less health risk with smokeless tobacco use compared to cigarette smoking. However, very little research has examined if smokers in the US will find oral tobacco products palatable as a cessation aid, the toxicity of these products compared to cigarettes as assessed by biomarkers of exposure and toxicity in humans, and whether or not use of these products will result in significant smoking cessation rates, particularly compared to FDA approved cessation products, such as medicinal nicotine. This proposal describes two studies which will be the first systematic effort to address these questions. The first study will determine the palatability and preference of various oral non-combusted tobacco products in cigarette smokers, which will inform the product to be tested in Study 2. Smokers will be presented with four brands of oral tobacco that are all low in tobacco specific nitrosamine levels but vary in nicotine content and product type. Subjects will sequentially, and in randomized order, sample each of these products and at the end of the sampling period, choose which product that they would like to use during a subsequent 4-week abstinence from smoking. The main outcome measure will be determining the product that is most preferred, which will then be used in the subsequent clinical trial. Other outcome measures include pattern of product use, subjective and physiological responses to the product, withdrawal symptoms from the product and biomarkers of exposure and toxicity. The second study will be a randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of an oral tobacco product compared to a medicinal nicotine product for smokers wishing to quit. Subjects will be randomized to either the most preferred oral tobacco product determined in Study 1 or nicotine gum for a period of 12 weeks. Follow-up will occur at 26 and 52 weeks. The primary outcome variables are abstinence rates across the two products, extent of cigarette reduction in non-abstainers and continued product use after the end of treatment. Other outcome variables are similar to the first study. A cost analysis will be conducted if the oral tobacco product is similar to or exceeds the cessation rates of medicinal nicotine. The results from these studies will help determine the effects and feasibility of using oral tobacco products as both a cessation aid and a method to reduce individual health risk in cigarette smokers.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA135884-05
Application #
8230452
Study Section
Human Development Research Subcommittee (NIDA)
Program Officer
Parascandola, Mark
Project Start
2008-05-01
Project End
2014-02-28
Budget Start
2012-03-01
Budget End
2013-02-28
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$525,318
Indirect Cost
$56,574
Name
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
555917996
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Country
United States
Zip Code
55455
Hatsukami, Dorothy K; Vogel, R I; Severson, Herb H et al. (2016) Perceived Health Risks of Snus and Medicinal Nicotine Products. Nicotine Tob Res 18:794-800
Allen, Alicia; Vogel, Rachel Isaksson; Meier, Ellen et al. (2016) Gender differences in snus versus nicotine gum for cigarette avoidance among a sample of US smokers. Drug Alcohol Depend 168:8-12
Hatsukami, Dorothy K; Severson, Herbert; Anderson, Amanda et al. (2016) Randomised clinical trial of snus versus medicinal nicotine among smokers interested in product switching. Tob Control 25:267-74
Stepanov, Irina; Biener, Lois; Yershova, Katrina et al. (2014) Monitoring tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines and nicotine in novel smokeless tobacco products: findings from round II of the new product watch. Nicotine Tob Res 16:1070-8
Hatsukami, Dorothy K; Zhang, Yan; O'Connor, Richard J et al. (2013) Subjective responses to oral tobacco products: scale validation. Nicotine Tob Res 15:1259-64
Oliver, Andrew J; Jensen, Joni A; Vogel, Rachel I et al. (2013) Flavored and nonflavored smokeless tobacco products: rate, pattern of use, and effects. Nicotine Tob Res 15:88-92
Stepanov, Irina; Yershova, Katrina; Carmella, Steven et al. (2013) Levels of (S)-N'-nitrosonornicotine in U.S. tobacco products. Nicotine Tob Res 15:1305-10
Stepanov, Irina; Biener, Lois; Knezevich, Aleksandar et al. (2012) Monitoring tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines and nicotine in novel Marlboro and Camel smokeless tobacco products: findings from Round 1 of the New Product Watch. Nicotine Tob Res 14:274-81
Hatsukami, Dorothy K; Jensen, Joni; Anderson, Amanda et al. (2011) Oral tobacco products: preference and effects among smokers. Drug Alcohol Depend 118:230-6