Evaluation of Low and High Nicotine Tobacco Free Nicotine Pouches (Pack2Pouch)

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Cigarette Smoking; Nicotine Dependence; Smoking Cessation

Treatments: Behavioral: Low Nicotine Dose; Behavioral: High Nicotine Dose

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT06678789

5K12DA031794 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Pro00139710

Details and patient eligibility

About

Tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches (such as Zyn brand) are a less harmful alternative to cigarette smoking. Pouches, however, contain nicotine, and addictive substance that is not risk-free. The present study is evaluating how well nicotine pouches, at different nicotine levels, help people switch away from smoking cigarettes. People who smoke cigarettes will be asked to answer questions about their tobacco product use and provide breath samples and cheek swab samples at an in-person visit to MUSC Charleston. Participants will then be provided with a 28-day supply of nicotine pouches, and will be asked to switch from smoking to pouches over the course of 4 weeks. Finally, participants will complete a final visit at MUSC, and will answer more questions about their tobacco use 1-month later.

Full description

The proposed research project evaluates the potential for tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches (TFNPs) to serve as harm reduction tools at two nicotine concentrations, inclusive of behavioral and biomarker outcomes, using a clinical trial design. Specifically, in a randomized pilot study, participants who smoke will be recruited and sent TFNPs to sample for 4 weeks in either high (6 mg) or low (3 mg) nicotine content strengths. Participants will report tobacco use behaviors and submit biological samples throughout the study. This design allows for evaluation of the effect of nicotine content within alternative, harm-reducing tobacco products on key outcomes including: 1) complete switching from cigarette smoking to non-cigarette product use; 2) cigarette smoking reduction; 3) changes in biomarkers of harm (DNA damage, respiratory symptoms), 4) nicotine dependence, and 5) subjective effects of product use.

Enrollment: 50 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 21+
• current cigarette smoking (25+ days per previous month, 5 or more cigarettes/day, for greater than 1yr, greater than 100 lifetime cigarettes)
• have not used TNFPs more than 5 times during their lifetime
• willing and able to attend 2 in-person visits in Charleston (to assess biomarkers)
• have internet access

Exclusion criteria

• Lack of proficiency in English.
• Use of other combustible tobacco products (i.e., cigars, cigarillos, hookahs) and/or other non-combusted nicotine/tobacco products (i.e., e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco) in the past 30 days.
• Current use of smoking cessation medications (i.e., varenicline, bupropion, nicotine replacement therapy).
• Use of marijuana within the past month, and unwillingness to abstain from marijuana during course of study.
• Medical conditions contraindicated to NRT use (including pregnancy, breastfeeding, and nursing, past month myocardial infarction, current untreated cardiac arrhythmia, current severe angina, current uncontrolled severe vascular disease).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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50 participants in 2 patient groups

High Nicotine

Experimental group

Description:

High dosage nicotine pouches (6mg)

Treatment:

Behavioral: High Nicotine Dose

Low Nicotine

Experimental group

Description:

Low dosage nicotine pouches (3mg)

Treatment:

Behavioral: Low Nicotine Dose