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Clinical Trial
. 2017 Feb 15;14(2):193.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph14020193.

The Importance of Conditioned Stimuli in Cigarette and E-Cigarette Craving Reduction by E-Cigarettes

Martijn Van Heel  1 , Dinska Van Gucht  2   3 , Koen Vanbrabant  4 , Frank Baeyens  5
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

The Importance of Conditioned Stimuli in Cigarette and E-Cigarette Craving Reduction by E-Cigarettes

Martijn Van Heel et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

This study examined the impact of four variables pertaining to the use of e-cigarettes (e-cigs) on cravings for tobacco cigarettes and for e-cigs after an overnight abstinence period. The four variables were the nicotine level, the sensorimotor component, the visual aspect, and the aroma of the e-cig. In an experimental study, 81 participants without prior vaping experience first got acquainted with using e-cigs in a one-week tryout period, after which they participated in a lab session assessing the effect of five minutes of vaping following an abstinence period of 12 h. A mixed-effects model clearly showed the importance of nicotine in craving reduction. However, also non-nicotine factors, in particular the sensorimotor component, were shown to contribute to craving reduction. Handling cues interacted with the level (presence/absence) of nicotine: it was only when the standard hand-to-mouth action cues were omitted that the craving reducing effects of nicotine were observed. Effects of aroma or visual cues were not observed, or weak and difficult to interpret, respectively.

Keywords: aroma; conditioned stimuli; e-cig; experimental study; nicotine; sensorimotor; visual cues.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The unipod used in the Unipod condition.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Timeline of the second (experimental) session. Please provide clearer figure.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Carbon monoxide (CO) measurements over time.
Figure 4
Figure 4
TCQ craving measurements pre and post vaping: tobacco cigarette craving (TCQ) and e-cig craving (e-TCQ).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Tobacco cigarette craving (TCQ) pre and post vaping: effect of Nicotine Level.
Figure 6
Figure 6
E-cig craving (e-TCQ) pre and post vaping: effect of nicotine level.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The interaction between moment and nicotine level in the Unipod condition for cigarette craving.
Figure 8
Figure 8
The interaction between moment and nicotine level in the visually unrestricted condition for e-cig craving.
Figure 9
Figure 9
The interaction between moment and nicotine level in the Unipod condition for e-cig craving.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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