Reduced Nicotine Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes in High-Risk Populations: 3 Randomized Clinical Trials.

Importance: Prohibiting the sale of commonly preferred e-cigarette flavors (eg, fruity and sweet) to discourage use among youths poses a risk of diminishing efforts to decrease smoking in adults. Objective: To compare reductions in smoking achieved in adults with psychiatric conditions or lower educational level using very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes alone, combined with e-cigarettes limited to tobacco flavor (TF), or combined with e-cigarettes in participant-preferred flavors. Design, Setting, and Participants: Three randomized clinical trials were conducted for 16 weeks from October 2020 through November 2023 at the University of Vermont, Brown University, and Johns Hopkins University. Participants were adults who smoked daily and were not planning to quit in the next 30 days. These participants were from 3 at-risk populations: those with affective disorders, exemplifying mental illness; those with opioid use disorder, exemplifying substance use disorders; and females of reproductive age with a high-school education or less, exemplifying lower educational level. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 experimental conditions: (1) normal nicotine content (NNC) cigarettes only; (2) VLNC cigarettes only; (3) VLNC cigarettes plus e-cigarettes with classic TF (hereafter, VLNC + TF); and (4) VLNC cigarettes plus e-cigarettes with preferred flavors (hereafter, VLNC + PF). Interventions: The NNC cigarettes contained 15.8 mg nicotine/g tobacco, the VLNC cigarettes contained 0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco, the VLNC + TF had pods containing 5% nicotine by weight and only classic TF, and the VLNC + PF had pods containing 5% nicotine in 8 flavors (including fruity and sweet) from which participants selected 3 flavors. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was mean total cigarettes smoked per day (CPD) during week 16. Tobacco-related biomarkers were assessed, including total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), a tobacco-specific carcinogen. Results: A total of 326 participants (mean [SD] age, 40.09 [10.79] years; 243 females [74.5%]) from 3 randomized clinical trials were included. The VLNC cigarettes decreased total CPD, with least square (LS) means (SEMs) of 22.54 (1.59) in the NNC, 14.32 (1.32) in the VLNC, 11.76 (1.18) in the VLNC + TF, and 7.63 (0.90) in the VLNC + PF conditions. Each VLNC condition differed significantly from NNC, with an adjusted mean difference (AMD) of -8.21 (95% CI, -12.27 to -4.16; P < .001) in the VLNC, -10.78 (95% CI, -14.67 to -6.90; P < .001) in the VLNC + TF, and -14.91 (95% CI, -18.49 to -11.33; P < .001) in the VLNC + PF conditions. Participants in the VLNC + PF condition also decreased smoking below the VLNC and the VLNC + TF conditions (AMDs, -6.70 [95% CI, -9.84 to -3.55; P < .001] and -4.13 [95% CI, -7.05 to -1.21; P = .02]); the VLNC and VLNC + TF conditions did not differ significantly. Consistent with decreases in CPD, NNAL levels in the VLNC + PF condition were lower than in all other conditions, with AMDs (in pmol/mg creatinine) of -0.94 (95% CI, -1.41 to -0.47; P < .001) compared with the NNC condition, -0.47 (95% CI, -0.87 to -0.08; P = .03) compared with the VLNC condition, and -0.46 (95% CI, -0.83 to -0.10; P = .04) compared with the VLNC + TF condition. Conclusions and Relevance: These results provide further evidence that a reduced-nicotine standard for cigarettes has the potential to decrease smoking and tobacco-toxicant exposure in high-risk populations and that these effects may be enhanced when adults can access e-cigarettes in commonly preferred flavors. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT04092387, NCT04090879, NCT04092101.

Sex differences in tobacco use, attempts to quit smoking, and cessation among dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes: Longitudinal findings from the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study.

SIGNIFICANCE: A growing number of adults use more than one tobacco product, with dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes being the most common combination. Monitoring sex disparities in tobacco use is a public health priority. However, little is known regarding whether dual users differ by sex. METHODS: Data came from Waves 4-6 (12/2016-11/2021) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, a US nationally-representative longitudinal survey. This analysis included current adult dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. We used weighted generalized estimating equations to assess the association between sex and (1) making a cigarette quit attempt (n = 1882 observations from n = 1526 individuals) and (2) smoking cessation (n = 2081 observations from n = 1688 individuals) across two wave pairs, adjusting for age, education, ethnicity, time-to-first cigarette after waking, and e-cigarette use frequency. RESULTS: Among US dual users, 14.1% (95% Confidence Intervals [Cl] = 11.9-16.4) of females and 23.4% (20.0-26.9) of males were young adults (aged 18-24), 11.7% (9.2-14.2) of females and 14.4% (11.6-17.2) of males had

Sex differences in tobacco use, attempts to quit smoking, and cessation among dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes: Longitudinal findings from the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study.

SIGNIFICANCE: A growing number of adults use more than one tobacco product, with dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes being the most common combination. Monitoring sex disparities in tobacco use is a public health priority. However, little is known regarding whether dual users differ by sex. METHODS: Data came from Waves 4-6 (12/2016-11/2021) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, a US nationally-representative longitudinal survey. This analysis included current adult dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. We used weighted generalized estimating equations to assess the association between sex and (1) making a cigarette quit attempt (n = 1882 observations from n = 1526 individuals) and (2) smoking cessation (n = 2081 observations from n = 1688 individuals) across two wave pairs, adjusting for age, education, ethnicity, time-to-first cigarette after waking, and e-cigarette use frequency. RESULTS: Among US dual users, 14.1% (95% Confidence Intervals [Cl] = 11.9-16.4) of females and 23.4% (20.0-26.9) of males were young adults (aged 18-24), 11.7% (9.2-14.2) of females and 14.4% (11.6-17.2) of males had

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS): Frequency of use and smoking-cessation efforts among U.S. women of reproductive age.

OBJECTIVE: Reducing harm from combustible cigarette use among women of reproductive age (WRA) is critical given their potential vulnerability to multigenerational adverse impacts of cigarette smoking. Although electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are not approved smoking cessation aids in the US, many WRA who smoke report using ENDS to help quit smoking. Associations between ENDS use patterns and smoking-cessation efforts among US WRA remain unclear. METHODS: Using the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, we examined whether baseline (Wave 3 or 4) ENDS use frequency predicted (a) making a cigarette quit attempt (QA) and (b) successful quitting by follow-up (Wave 4 or 5, respectively) among WRA (N = 2834; 72.1% non-Hispanic White). RESULTS: Daily ENDS use predicted greater adjusted odds of making a QA than non-daily (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.03, 2.59) and no ENDS use (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.23, 3.14), and greater odds of successful smoking cessation than non-daily use (AOR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.31, 4.26). Daily ENDS use did not significantly improve odds of successful smoking cessation compared to no ENDS use (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI = 0.97, 2.69). Non-daily ENDS use did not significantly improve odds of making a QA (AOR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.94, 1.56) and hindered successful smoking cessation compared to no ENDS use (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.48, 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that benefits of ENDS for smoking cessation in WRA may be greatest among those who use ENDS daily. WRA who choose to use ENDS to help quit would be well-informed by evidence that non-daily ENDS use may impede smoking cessation.

A call to action: Contingency management to improve post-release treatment engagement among people with opioid use disorder who are incarcerated.

People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are overrepresented in US correctional facilities and experience disproportionately high risk for illicit opioid use and overdose after release. A growing number of correctional facilities offer medication for OUD (MOUD), which is effective in reducing these risks. However, a recent evaluation found that <50% of those prescribed MOUD during incarceration continued MOUD within 30 days after release, demonstrating a need to improve post-release continuity of care. We describe available evidence on contingency management (CM), an intervention wherein patients receive incentives contingent on behavior change, to achieve this goal. A prior systematic review reported strong evidence in support of CM for increasing treatment adherence in MOUD programs, but the trials reviewed did not include incarcerated participants. Research on CM to increase treatment adherence among participants in the criminal justice system is limited with mixed findings. However, in comparison to the trials that supported CM's efficacy in the community, CM trials in the criminal justice system provided smaller rewards with greater delays in the delivery of rewards to patients, which likely contributed to null findings. Indeed, a prior meta-analysis demonstrates a dose-response relationship between the magnitude and immediacy of reward and CM effectiveness. Thus, CM involving larger and more immediately delivered rewards are likely necessary to improve MOUD adherence during the critical period following release from incarceration. Future research on the effectiveness and implementation of CM to improve MOUD retention after release from incarceration is warranted.

The impact of the implementation of medication for opioid use disorder and COVID-19 in a statewide correctional system on treatment engagement, postrelease continuation of care, and overdose.

BACKGROUND: People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are overrepresented in US correctional facilities and experience disproportionately high risk for overdose after release. Medications for OUD (MOUD) are highly efficacious but not available to most incarcerated individuals. In 2018, Vermont began providing MOUD for all incarcerated individuals with OUD statewide. In 2020, the COVID-19 state of emergency began. We assessed the impact of both events on MOUD utilization and treatment outcomes. METHODOLOGY: Analyses linked Vermont Department of Corrections administrative data and Medicaid claims data between 07/01/2017 and 03/31/2021. The study used logistic regression to analyze treatment engagement among all incarcerated individuals in Vermont. Multilevel modeling assessed change in clinical outcomes among release episodes that occurred among individuals with an OUD diagnosis Medicaid claim. RESULTS: Prescriptions for MOUD while incarcerated increased from 0.8% to 33.9% of the incarcerated population after MOUD implementation (OR = 67.4) and subsequently decreased with the onset of COVID-19 to 26.6% (OR = 0.7). After MOUD implementation, most prescriptions (63.1%) were to individuals who had not been receiving MOUD prior to incarceration, but this figure decreased to 53.9% with the onset of COVID-19 (OR = 0.7). Prescriptions for MOUD within 30 days after release increased from 33.9% of those with OUD before to 41.0% after MOUD implementation (OR = 1.4) but decreased to 35.6% with the onset of COVID-19 (OR = 0.8). Simultaneously, opioid-related nonfatal overdoses within 30 days after release decreased from 1.2% before to 0.8% after statewide MOUD implementation (OR = 0.3) but increased to 1.9% during COVID-19 (OR = 3.4). Fatal overdoses within 1 year after release decreased from 27 deaths before to ≤10 after statewide MOUD implementation and remained ≤10 during COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal evaluation demonstrated increased treatment engagement and a decrease in opioid-related overdose following implementation of MOUD in a statewide correctional system. In contrast, these improvements were somewhat attenuated with the onset of COVID-19, which was associated with decreased treatment engagement and an increase in nonfatal overdoses. Considered together, these findings demonstrate the benefits of statewide MOUD for incarcerated individuals as well as the need to identify and address barriers to continuation of care following release from incarceration in the context of COVID-19.

Latent Classes of Perceived Addictiveness Predict Marijuana, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use in Youth and Young Adults.

Background: Mass media substance use prevention efforts target addiction perceptions in young people. This study examined youth and young adults' (YAs) perceived addictiveness across several substances and the associations between addiction perceptions and substance use. Methods: Data were collected in 2019 in an online cohort study of Vermonters aged 12-25. Latent class analyses grouped participants by perceived addictiveness of nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, electronic vapor products (EVPs), and opioids. Bivariate multinomial logistic and modified Poisson regression estimated associations between sociodemographics, substance use correlates, and subsequent use across latent classes. Results: Four latent classes captured addiction perceptions: high perceived addictiveness of EVPs, cigarettes, marijuana, and alcohol (Class 1: n = 317; 31.3%), low perceived addictiveness of marijuana, alcohol, and caffeine (Class 2: n = 151; 14.3%), low perceived addictiveness of marijuana (Class 3: n = 581; 46.5%), and low perceived addictiveness of nicotine, cigarettes, and EVPs (Class 4: n = 83; 7.9%). For each year increase in age, there was a 36% increased likelihood of being in Class 2 (vs. Class 1) and a 148% increased likelihood of belonging to Class 3 (vs. Class 1). Low perceived addictiveness classes were associated with ever and past 30-day marijuana and alcohol use and predicted past 30-day alcohol use at three-month follow-up. Membership in Classes 2 and 3 also predicted past 30-day marijuana use at Wave 3. Discussion: The strong association between age and latent classes defined by low perceived addictiveness suggests age group differences in addiction perceptions. Findings suggest that YAs may benefit from prevention messaging on addictiveness.

E-cigarette cessation and transitions in combusted tobacco smoking status: longitudinal findings from the US FDA PATH Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) can help people to quit smoking combusted tobacco products (CTPs), but most current and former smokers who use ENDS also intend to quit ENDS. This analysis measured whether ENDS cessation among current and former CTP smokers is associated with changes in CTP smoking or abstinence. DESIGN: Regression analysis of a nationally representative cohort from waves 4 (W4) and 5 (W5) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (December 2016-November 2019). SETTING: United States. PARTICIPANTS: Adults (n = 1525) who reported W4 current or former use of ≥ 1 CTP and either currently using ENDS or quitting ENDS in the past year were included. MEASUREMENTS: Logistic regressions were performed separately among W4 current and former CTP smokers, controlling for demographic and tobacco use characteristics. First, we analyzed proximal outcomes by testing the association between ENDS quit status and CTP abstinence, both occurring during W5. Next, we analyzed long-term outcomes by testing W4 ENDS quit status as a predictor of CTP abstinence at W5, approximately 1 year later. FINDINGS: Among W4 current CTP smokers, there was no evidence that CTP smoking abstinence differed between those quitting or continuing using ENDS, both in our proximal [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.90, 2.10] and long-term (aOR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.52, 1.53) analyses. Among former CTP smokers, quitting ENDS was associated with less CTP abstinence in our proximal analysis (aOR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.20, 0.89), but there was no evidence that CTP smoking abstinence differed between those quitting or continuing using ENDS in our long-term analysis (aOR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.44, 1.67). CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence that ENDS cessation is associated with CTP abstinence among current smokers, although mixed findings among former smokers indicate a possible risk for relapse to smoking associated with quitting ENDS.

Interest in quitting e-cigarette use by device type and smoking history in US adults.

BACKGROUND: The use of e-cigarettes has been increasing, especially since the introduction of 'pod' devices to the marketplace since 2018. Most adults who vape report interest in quitting. The present study examined level of interest in e-cigarette cessation between users with varying cigarette smoking histories and device types. METHODS: Data obtained from wave 5 (2018-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study (n=34 309). Analyses were conducted on adult current established e-cigarette users, categorised on cigarette smoking history (current, former or never) and device type (disposable, cartridge/pod, tank or mod). Participants reported if they planned to ever quit e-cigarettes, attempted to quit in the past year and attempted to quit by cutting back in the past year. RESULTS: Of the 2922 established e-cigarette users, 68.21% reported plans to quit vaping; 17.27% reported attempting to quit e-cigarettes in the past year; and 29.28% reported attempting to quit by cutting back in the past year. Cartridge users had higher odds of interest in quitting than tank and mod users. Disposable and cartridge users had higher odds of reporting a past year quit attempt than tank and mod users. Individuals with no smoking history had higher odds of reporting a past year quit attempt or cutting back relative to those reporting dual use (of both e-cigarettes and cigarettes) and former smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco control should consider the type of e-cigarette device that is being used, alongside users' cigarette smoking history, when developing interventions and other resources for vaping cessation.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions to induce attempts to quit tobacco among adults not ready to quit.

The prevalence of past-year smoking cessation remains below 10% in the U.S. Most who smoke are not ready to quit in the near future. Cessation requires both (a) initiating a quit attempt (QA) and (b) maintaining abstinence. Most research has focused on abstinence among people already motivated to quit. We systematically reviewed interventions to promote QAs among people not motivated to quit tobacco. We searched PubMed, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, Embase, and our personal libraries for randomized trials of tobacco interventions that reported QAs as an outcome among adults not ready to quit. We screened studies and extracted data in duplicate. We pooled findings of the 25 included studies using Mantel-Haenszel random effects meta-analyses when ≥ 2 studies tested the same intervention. Most (24) trials addressed cigarettes and one addressed smokeless tobacco. Substantial heterogeneity among trials resulted in a series of small meta-analyses. Findings indicate varenicline may increase QAs more than no varenicline, n = 320; RR = 1.4, 95% CI [1.1, 1.7]; I² = 0%, and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) may increase QAs more than no NRT, n = 2,568; RR = 1.1, 95% CI [1.02, 1.3]; I² = 0%. Pooled effects for motivational counseling, reduction counseling, and very low nicotine content cigarettes showed no clear evidence of benefit or harm. The evidence was judged to be of medium to very low certainty due to imprecision, inconsistency, and risk of bias, suggesting that further research is likely to change interpretation of our results. Findings demonstrate the need for more high-quality research on interventions to induce QAs among adults not ready to quit tobacco. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The interactive effects of JUUL flavor and nicotine concentration on addiction potential.

Prior research suggests that flavors can influence the pharmacological effects of nicotine. We used commercially available JUUL pods to examine whether preferred menthol versus tobacco flavor increased the addictive potential of nicotine per se. This study recruited 15 regular JUUL e-cigarette users to complete a 2 × 2 factorial crossover trial using an entirely remote video format. Participants completed a sampling baseline session to identify preferred JUUL flavor (menthol vs. tobacco) followed by four counterbalanced experimental sessions separated by ≥ 48 hr: (a) low-nicotine dose (3% JUUL)/nonpreferred flavor; (b) low dose/preferred flavor; (c) high-nicotine dose (5% JUUL)/nonpreferred flavor; and (d) high dose/preferred flavor. In each experimental session, participants completed a puffing procedure followed by subjective ratings of e-cigarette liking and wanting (ELW), urges, and reinforcement using a JUUL pod purchase task. There was a dose-by-flavor interaction for average ELW (F = 4.58, p = .041) in which ELW was significantly greater for the preferred than the nonpreferred flavor at the low-nicotine dose but not the high-nicotine dose. There were also dose-by-flavor interactions for pre- to post-puffing change in overall urge to vape (F = 5.97, p = .021) and urge strength (F = 4.96, p = .049), with greater reductions in overall urge/strength for the preferred compared to the nonpreferred flavor at the low but not the high dose. We found no significant interaction effects for purchase task outcomes. Using a fully remote experimental puffing procedure, our findings suggest preferred flavors increase the rewarding effects most for lower nicotine e-cigarettes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Tailored text message and web intervention for smoking cessation in U.S. socioeconomically-disadvantaged young adults: A randomized controlled trial.

The prevalence of cigarette smoking in young adults is higher among those with socioeconomic disadvantage than those without. Low treatment-seeking among young adult smokers is compounded by few efficacious smoking cessation interventions for this group, particularly socioeconomically-disadvantaged young adults (SDYA) who smoke cigarettes. The goal of this study was to test a tailored smoking-cessation intervention for SDYA. 343 SDYA aged 18-30 living in the U.S. (85% female) who smoke cigarettes with access to a smartphone and interest in quitting smoking in the next six months were recruited online in Spring 2020 and randomized to referral to online quit resources (usual care control; n = 171) or a 12-week tailored text message smoking-cessation program with a companion web-based intervention (n = 172). Intent to treat analyses examined associations between study condition, self-reported 30-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA), and confidence to quit smoking at 12 weeks, controlling for potential confounders. Intervention group participants had greater self-reported 30-day PPA at 12-weeks than controls (adjusted relative risk 3.93, 95% CI 2.14-7.24). Among those who continued smoking, the intervention increased confidence to quit (0.81 points, 95% confidence interval 0.08-1.53). Weekly engagement in the intervention predicted greater cessation. A tailored text message intervention for SDYA increased smoking abstinence and confidence to quit at the end-of-treatment. Findings may have been influenced by recruitment at the start of the COVID pandemic but suggest that text messaging is an acceptable and efficacious cessation strategy for SDYA smokers. Future studies should examine the impact on longer-term smoking-cessation and importance of intervention tailoring for SDYA.

Predictors of electronic nicotine product quit attempts and cessation: Analysis of waves 3 and 4 of the PATH study.

INTRODUCTION: Identifying theory-based predictors of electronic nicotine product (ENP) quit attempts and cessation can guide the development of effective vaping cessation interventions, which are currently limited. This study examined predictors of ENP quit attempts and cessation among adult ENP users. METHODS: Using data from wave 3 (W3; 2015-2016) current established ENP users in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study, we used multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of (i) wave 4 (W4; 2016-2018) quit attempts (unweighted n = 1,135); and (ii) W4 cessation among those who made a quit attempt (unweighted n = 610). Predictors included Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)-based cognitive (interest in quitting, self-efficacy to quit, outcome expectancies, risk perception), behavioral (smoking status, and use of combustibles, non-combustibles, cannabis, and alcohol), and socio-environmental (perceived disapproval, household rules, exposure to advertising) factors. RESULTS: Between W3 and W4, 51.7% of W3 ENP users made a quit attempt. Among those who tried quitting, 68.4% stopped using ENPs. SCT-based predictors of ENP quit attempts included higher interest in quitting ENPs (aOR = 1.18), greater self-efficacy to quit ENPs (aOR = 1.31), and currently using cigarettes (vs non-smoker; aOR = 1.71), non-combustibles (aOR = 2.25), and cannabis (aOR = 1.80). Predictors of ENP cessation included greater self-efficacy to quit ENPs (aOR = 1.33), greater perceived risk of ENPs (aOR = 1.35), and being a current smoker (vs non-smoker; aOR = 3.28). CONCLUSIONS: ENP cessation interventions should address cognitive factors, particularly self-efficacy, as it predicted quit attempts and cessation. Cigarette smoking among dual users should be monitored and addressed to ensure that those who quit using ENPs do not maintain cigarette use.

Exploring Definitions of "Addiction" in Adolescents and Young Adults and Correlation with Substance Use Behaviors.

(1) Background: Young people engage in addictive behaviors, but little is known about how they understand addiction. The present study examined how young people describe addiction in their own words and correlations between their definitions and substance use behaviors. (2) Methods: Young adults (n = 1146) in the PACE Vermont Study responded to an open-ended item "what does "addiction" mean?" in 2019. Responses were coded using three inductive categories and fifteen subcategories. Quantitative analyses examined correlations between addiction theme definitions, demographics, and substance use behaviors. (3) Participants frequently defined addiction by physiological (68%) and psychological changes (65%) and less by behavioral changes (6%), or all three (3%); young adults had higher odds of defining addiction as physiological or behavioral changes than adolescents. Participants who described addiction as "psychological changes" had lower odds of ever electronic vapor product use (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.57−1.00) than those using another definition, controlling for age and sex. (4) Perceptions of addiction in our sample aligned with existing validated measures of addiction. Findings discriminated between familiar features of addiction and features that may be overlooked by young adults. Substance users may employ definitions that exclude the symptoms they are most likely to experience.

Smoking abstinence and cessation-related outcomes one month after an immediate versus gradual reduction in nicotine content of cigarettes.

The United States Food and Drug Administration has the authority to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes to minimal or non-addictive levels and could do so immediately or gradually over time. A large clinical trial compared the two approaches. This secondary analysis assesses abstinence and cessation-related outcomes one month after the trial concluded, when participants no longer had access to very low nicotine content (VLNC) research cigarettes. Smokers not interested in quitting (N = 1250) were recruited for the parent trial from 2014 to 2016 across 10 sites throughout the US and randomized to a 20-week study period during which they immediately switched to VLNC cigarettes, gradually transitioned to VLNC cigarettes with five monthly dose reductions, or smoked normal nicotine research cigarettes (control). At the one-month follow-up, both immediate and gradual reduction resulted in greater mean cigarette-free days (4.7 and 4.6 respectively) than the control group (3.2, both p < .05). Immediate reduction resulted in fewer mean cigarettes per day (CPD = 10.3) and lower Fagerström Test for Cigarette Dependence (FTCD = 3.7) than the gradual (CPD = 11.7, p = .001; FTCD = 3.8, p = .039) and control (CPD = 13.5, p < .001; FTCD = 4.0, p < .001) groups. Compared to controls, gradual reduction resulted in reduced CPD (p = .012) but not FTCD (p = .13). Differences in CO-verified 7-day point-prevalence abstinence were not significant. Findings demonstrate that switching to VLNC cigarettes resulted in reduced smoking and nicotine dependence severity that was sustained for at least a month after the VLNC trial period in smokers who were not interested in cessation. The greatest harm reduction endpoints were observed in those who immediately transitioned to VLNC cigarettes.

Delay discounting and narcissism: A meta-analysis with implications for narcissistic personality disorder.

Several psychiatric conditions (e.g., substance use, mood, and personality disorders) are characterized, in part, by greater delay discounting (DD)-a decision-making bias in the direction of preferring smaller, more immediate over larger, delayed rewards. Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is highly comorbid with substance use, mood, and other personality disorders, suggesting that DD may be a process underpinning risk for NPD as well. This meta-analysis examined associations between DD and theoretically distinct, clinically relevant dimensions of narcissism (i.e., grandiosity, entitlement, and vulnerability). Literature searches were conducted and articles were included if they were written in English, published in a peer-reviewed journal, contained measures of DD and narcissism and reported their association, and used an adult sample. Narcissism measures had to be systematically categorized according to clinically relevant dimensions (Grijalva et al., 2015; Wright & Edershile, 2018). Seven studies met inclusion criteria (N = 2,705). DD was positively associated with narcissism (r = .21; 95% confidence interval [.10, .32]), with this association being largely attributable to measures of trait grandiosity that were used in each study (r = .24; 95% confidence interval [.11, .37]). No studies included diagnostic NPD assessments. These findings provide empirical evidence that DD is related to trait narcissism and perhaps risk for NPD (e.g., grandiosity listed in Criterion B of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, alternative model of personality disorders). Considering the positive evidence from this review, and the dearth of research examining DD in individuals with NPD, investigators studying NPD may consider incorporating DD measures in future studies to potentially inform clinical theory and novel adjunctive treatment options. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Trajectories of ENDS and cigarette use among dual users: analysis of waves 1 to 5 of the PATH Study.

INTRODUCTION: Concurrent electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) and cigarette (dual) use is harmful. Identifying longitudinal trajectories of ENDS and cigarette use among dual users can help to determine the public health impact of ENDS and inform tobacco control policies and interventions. OBJECTIVES: (1) To identify independent and joint trajectories of ENDS and cigarette use among wave (W) 1 adult dual users across W1 to W5 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study; and (2) identify W1 predictors of ENDS and cigarette joint trajectory group membership. METHODS: We used group-based trajectory modelling to estimate independent and joint trajectories of ENDS and cigarette use from wave 1 (W1; 2013-2014) to wave 5 (W5; 2018-2019) among W1 adult established dual users of ENDS and cigarettes (n=545) from the PATH Study. We used multinomial logistic regression to identify W1 predictors of joint trajectories. RESULTS: Two ENDS (early quitters=66.0%, stable users=34.0%) and three cigarette (stable users=55.2%, gradual quitters=27.3%, early quitters=17.5%) trajectories of W1 were identified. In joint trajectory analysis, 41.6% of participants were early ENDS quitters and stable cigarette users; 14.8% early ENDS quitters and gradual cigarette quitters; 14.6% stable ENDS users and stable cigarette users; 11.2% stable ENDS users and gradual cigarette quitters; 10.3% early ENDS quitters and early cigarette quitters; and 7.4% stable ENDS users and early cigarette quitters. Cigarette and ENDS use frequency, nicotine dependence, cannabis use and other non-combusted tobacco product use predicted trajectory group membership (p values <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Most dual users maintained long-term cigarette smoking or dual use, highlighting the need to address cessation of both products. Continued monitoring of trajectories and their predictors is needed, given ongoing changes to the ENDS marketplace.

Young Adults' Knowledge of State Cannabis Policy: Implications for Studying the Effects of Legalization in Vermont.

Objectives: Cannabis policy evaluations commonly assume equal policy exposure across a state's population using date of implementation as the key independent variable. This study aimed to explore policy knowledge as another measure of exposure and describe the sociodemographic, cognitive, and behavioral correlates of cannabis policy knowledge in young adults in Vermont. Methods: Data are from the PACE Vermont Study (Spring 2019), an online cohort study of Vermonters (12-25). Bivariate and multivariable analyses estimated prevalence ratios (PR) for correlations between knowledge of Vermont's cannabis policy (allowed possession for adults 21 and older) and sociodemographics, cannabis use, and harm perceptions in 1,037 young adults (18-25). Results: Overall, 60.1% of participants correctly described the state's cannabis policy. Being younger, Hispanic, non-White race, and less educated were inversely correlated with policy knowledge. Ever (PR=1.37; 95% CI 1.16-1.63) and past-30-day cannabis use (PR=1.27; 95% CI 1.12-1.45) were positively correlated with policy knowledge. Policy knowledge was more prevalent among young adults who perceived slight risk of harm from weekly cannabis use (vs. no risk; aPR=1.28; 95% CI 1.11-1.48) or agreed that regular cannabis use early in life can negatively affect attention (vs. disagree; aPR=1.55; 95% CI 1.22-1.97). Conclusion: Findings suggest that 40% of Vermont young adults in the study were unaware of current state cannabis policy and that policy knowledge was lower in younger, less educated, Hispanic, and non-White young adults. Future research should explore using a measure of policy knowledge as an exposure or moderator variable to better quantify the effects of changes in cannabis legal status on perceptions and use in young people.

Contingency Management for Patients Receiving Medication for Opioid Use Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is efficacious, but comorbid stimulant use and other behavioral health problems often undermine efficacy. Objective: To examine the association of contingency management, a behavioral intervention wherein patients receive material incentives contingent on objectively verified behavior change, with end-of-treatment outcomes for these comorbid behavioral problems. Data Sources: A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and reference sections of articles from inception through May 5, 2020. The following search terms were used: vouchers OR contingency management OR financial incentives. Study Selection: Prospective experimental studies of monetary-based contingency management among participants receiving MOUD. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline, 3 independent investigators extracted data from included studies for a random-effects meta-analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was the association of contingency management at end-of-treatment assessments with 6 clinical problems: stimulant use, polysubstance use, illicit opioid use, cigarette smoking, therapy attendance, and medication adherence. Random-effects meta-analysis models were used to compute weighted mean effect size estimates (Cohen d) and corresponding 95% CIs separately for each clinical problem and collapsing across the 3 categories assessing abstinence and the 2 assessing treatment adherence outcomes. Results: The search identified 1443 reports of which 74 reports involving 10 444 unique adult participants met inclusion criteria for narrative review and 60 for inclusion in meta-analyses. Contingency management was associated with end-of-treatment outcomes for all 6 problems examined separately, with mean effect sizes for 4 of 6 in the medium-large range (stimulants, Cohen d = 0.70 [95% CI, 0.49-0.92]; cigarette use, Cohen d = 0.78 [95% CI, 0.43-1.14]; illicit opioid use, Cohen d = 0.58 [95% CI, 0.30-0.86]; medication adherence, Cohen d = 0.75 [95% CI, 0.30-1.21]), and 2 in the small-medium range (polysubstance use, Cohen d = 0.46 [95% CI, 0.30-0.62]; therapy attendance, d = 0.43 [95% CI, 0.22-0.65]). Collapsing across abstinence and adherence categories, contingency management was associated with medium effect sizes for abstinence (Cohen d = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.47-0.69) and treatment adherence (Cohen d = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.84) compared with controls. Conclusions and Relevance: These results provide evidence supporting the use of contingency management in addressing key clinical problems among patients receiving MOUD, including the ongoing epidemic of comorbid psychomotor stimulant misuse. Policies facilitating integration of contingency management into community MOUD services are sorely needed.