Lack of utility of cigarettes per day cutoffs for clinical and laboratory smoking research

Biochemical validation of self-reported electronic nicotine delivery system and tobacco heaviness of use

Research on tobacco use disorder relies on a combination of self-reported use (e.g., cigarettes per day) and biochemical validation to quantify heaviness of use. However, electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) users may be unaware of how much they have vaped per day. The aim of this study was to test the relationship between self-reported heaviness of ENDS/tobacco use and nicotine biomarkers. Young adults (n = 30) who currently use ENDS and other tobacco products completed a detailed tobacco use history, timeline follow-back, and an ENDS topography session. We evaluated the self-reports of own-brand ENDS use and tested correlations to determine which self-report measures of own-brand use, and which self-reported measures of puff topography, had the strongest correlations with urine and/or blood biomarkers of nicotine use. Participants reported using a variety of different ENDS devices and had a range of usage. The sum of the self-reported number of occasions or hours of ENDS use, along with the number of cigarettes and other tobacco products used, over the past 24 hr was significantly correlated with plasma cotinine levels. Puff topography measures correlated with increased nicotine concentrations, although participants underestimated the number of puffs they took during the topography session. This study provides preliminary evidence that summing together the hours of ENDS use, or the number of occasions of ENDS use, in addition to the number of other tobacco products used (i.e., cigarettes) based on self-report may be an accurate method of quantification. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Naturalistic measurement of dual cue attentional bias in moderate to heavy-drinking smokers: A preliminary investigation

INTRODUCTION

Although cigarettes and alcohol are frequently used together, few studies have evaluated evidence of attentional bias to both smoking and alcohol cues. Attentional bias (AB) is defined as preferential attention to drug-specific cues and is most often studied in a laboratory with one cue type. AB may be an important mechanism associated with cigarette and alcohol co-use. In this study, we evaluated AB to both smoking and alcohol cues in daily life using ambulatory assessment.

METHODS

Daily smokers (N = 21) who consume moderate to heavy amounts of alcohol completed surveys and a dot probe task four times per day using a personal digital assistant over a period of 1 week.

RESULTS

Aggregated over subjects, there was evidence of AB to smoking and AB to alcohol cues. When smoking AB was higher than the person-specific average, alcohol AB was elevated, and when alcohol AB was higher than the person-specific average, smoking AB was elevated. AB was not significantly associated with craving for cigarettes or alcohol.

CONCLUSIONS

It is feasible to assess AB for cigarette and alcohol cues using ambulatory assessment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report a within-subject association between AB for two drug cues. The relationship between cigarette and alcohol use is likely dynamic and depends on context and exposure to substance-specific cues. Additionally, a larger sample may be needed to evaluate relationships between AB and craving. Further research on possible cognitive mechanisms that increase the likelihood of co-use can inform targeted interventions.

A qualitative study exploring cues and other motivators among a racially diverse sample of light and intermittent smokers

Introduction

Light and intermittent smokers (LITS) represent almost 50% of all current smokers. Research is needed to understand smoking motives among adult light smokers.

Aims

To explore smoking cues and motivators among a racially diverse sample of adult LITS (≤10 CPD). In addition, we explored differences between native (always smoked ≤10), and converted (former heavier) LITS.

Methods

We used purposive sampling to recruit participants who were native and converted LITS and to include equal numbers of African Americans, Whites and Latinos. We coded and analyzed transcripts using a stage approach to identify themes.

Results

Four main themes emerged that may be unique to light smokers and suggests potential strategies for intervention: (1) smoking in response to cues and control, (2) identifying as a smoker, (3) concern about health consequences, and (4) other priorities influencing smoking. There were some differences among smoking cues and motivators by race and ethnicity, and differences between native and converted LITS.

Conclusions

Overall, LITS reported drivers of smoking that were unrelated to symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Even when experiencing salient cues, our LITS cohort expressed the ability to assert control over smoking by abstaining when situational contexts made smoking inconvenient.