title: Exposure to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) visual imagery increases smoking urge and desire.
abstract: Use and awareness of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; also known as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes) has increased rapidly in recent years, particularly among young adults. As use of ENDS resembles traditional smoking in both hand-to-mouth movements and inhalation and exhalation behaviors, we determined whether exposure to e-cigarette use via video exposure would act as a cue to elicit urge and desire for a combustible cigarette. Young adult smokers (mean age of 26.3 ± 4.1 years) were randomized to view a brief video montage of advertisements depicting either e-cigarette vaping (n = 38) or bottled water drinking (n = 40). Pre- and postcue exposure assessments were conducted in a controlled laboratory setting without other smoking or vaping cues present or behaviors allowed. Primary outcomes included change from pre-exposure baseline in smoking urge (Brief Questionnaire of Smoking Urges) and desire for a combustible and e-cigarette (visual analogue scales). Results showed that relative to exposure to the bottled water video, exposure to the ENDS video significantly increased smoking urge (p < .001) as well as desire for a regular cigarette (p < .05) and an e-cigarette (p < .001). These findings provide preliminary evidence that passive exposure to video imagery of ENDS use may generalize as a condition cue and evoke urges for a combustible cigarette in young adult smokers. It remains to be determined whether such increases in urge and desire correspond to increases in actual smoking behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago.
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago.
authors.forename: Lia J
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7700-7716
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Fridberg
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago.
authors.forename: Alicia K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago.
authors.forename: Dingcai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D066249:Craving / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062789:Tobacco Products; D055815:Young Adult