title: Reduced nicotine cigarettes: smoking behavior and biomarkers of exposure among smokers not intending to quit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The U.S. FDA has the authority to limit the nicotine content of cigarettes; however, there are concerns that reduced nicotine cigarettes will be smoked more intensely and, therefore, will increase exposure to toxic chemicals in smoke. This study examined changes in consumer behavior and exposure in response to cigarettes with substantially reduced nicotine content.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two adult smokers completed an unblinded trial of reduced nicotine cigarettes. Participants completed a 7-day baseline period during which they smoked their usual cigarette brand, followed by consecutive 7-day periods smoking cigarettes with progressively lower nicotine levels (0.6, 0.3, and 0.05 mg emission Quest cigarettes). Nicotine dependence and withdrawal, smoking behavior, and biomarkers of exposure were assessed for each 7-day period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant reductions in nicotine intake were observed between usual brand smoking (∼1.2 mg nicotine) and the 0.3 and 0.05 mg nicotine emission cigarettes, but not the 0.6 mg cigarette. The findings provide little evidence of compensatory smoking of Quest cigarettes, with no increases in exhaled breath carbon monoxide levels, smoking intensity, or levels of 1-hydroxypyrene across study periods. No significant differences were observed for smoking urges or measures of nicotine dependence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study adds to the evidence that cigarettes with markedly reduced nicotine content are not associated with increased smoking intensity or exposure to smoke toxicants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings add to the evidence base on reduced nicotine content cigarettes and have the potential to inform FDA policy on nicotine levels.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. dhammond@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D003367:Cotinine / Q000032:analysis*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000737:chemistry*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis; D012907:Smoking; D062789:Tobacco Products; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011721:Pyrenes; D009538:Nicotine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D003404:Creatinine; D003367:Cotinine; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene