ArticleDrug and alcohol dependence2016
The impact of flavoring on the rewarding and reinforcing value of e-cigarettes with nicotine among young adult smokers.
Article in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 103 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
103 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 142 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sweet Flavors and the Addictive Potential of E-Cigarettes: A Systematic Narrative Review.European addiction research · 2026Pooled it
- The Role of Nicotine and Flavor in the Abuse Potential and Appeal of Electronic Cigarettes for Adult Current and Former Cigarette and Electronic Cigarette Users: A Systematic Review.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2022Pooled it
- Impact of non-menthol flavours in e-cigarettes on perceptions and use: an updated systematic review.BMJ open · 2019Pooled it
- An E-Liquid Flavor Wheel: A Shared Vocabulary Based on Systematically Reviewing E-Liquid Flavor Classifications in Literature.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2019Pooled it
- A systematic review of consumer preference for e-cigarette attributes: Flavor, nicotine strength, and type.PloS one · 2018Pooled it
- Effects of electronic cigarette e-liquid flavouring on cigarette craving.Tobacco control · 2023Trial
- Preliminary evidence on cigarette nicotine reduction with concurrent access to an e-cigarette: Manipulating cigarette nicotine content, e-liquid nicotine content, and e-liquid flavor availability.Preventive medicine · 2022Trial
- The effects of inhaled flavors on intravenous nicotine.Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology · 2021Trial
- Effects of non-tobacco flavors and nicotine on e-cigarette product appeal among young adult never, former, and current smokers.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2019Trial
- Does menthol cigarette use moderate the effect of nicotine metabolism on short-term smoking cessation?Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology · 2017Trial
- The Importance of Conditioned Stimuli in Cigarette and E-Cigarette Craving Reduction by E-Cigarettes.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2017Trial
- Effects of sweet flavorings and nicotine on the appeal and sensory properties of e-cigarettes among young adult vapers: Application of a novel methodology.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2016Trial
- Acute effects of electronic nicotine delivery system liquid nicotine form and sweet enhancer among people who use inhaled tobacco products.Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Assessing the abuse liability of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized electronic nicotine delivery systems: Impact of nicotine flux, flavor, and menthol cigarette smoking status.Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- E-liquid flavor alters nicotine exposure, puff topography, and subjective effects underAddictive behaviors reports · 2026Article
- Evaluating the substitutability of fruit versus menthol and tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes on combustible cigarette cessation: Randomized clinical trial protocol.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2026Article
- Neural Predictors of Vaping: Covert Emotional Engagement Versus Reactance to Overt Emotional Appeals in Vaping Prevention Message Processing.American journal of preventive medicine · 2026Article
- Device color influences e-cigarette flavor expectations, perception, and appeal.Chemical senses · 2026Article
- Switching from cigarettes to IQOS: the relative importance of IQOS-associated reward, reinforcement and abstinence relief.Tobacco control · 2025Article
- A secondary analysis of the effects of IQOS use on cigarette smoking: Do the effects differ by sex?Drug and alcohol dependence · 2025Article
43 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveFlavored e-cigarette use has risen rapidly, especially among young adults who also smoke cigarettes. We sought to determine whether flavoring enhances the subjective rewarding value, relative reinforcing value, and absolute reinforcing value of an e-cigarette with nicotine compared to an unflavored e-cigarette with nicotine.
methodsUsing a within-subjects design, young adult smokers (n=32) participated in three human laboratory sessions. Session 1 evaluated the rewarding value of flavoring by having participants rate unflavored and flavored e-cigarettes with nicotine. Session 2 assessed the relative reinforcing value of a flavored vs unflavored e-cigarette via a choice task that evaluated the willingness to "work" to hit targets on a computer screen to earn flavored or unflavored e-cigarette puffs. Session 3 measured the absolute reinforcing value of flavored versus unflavored e-cigarettes via a 90-min ad-libitum vaping session where puffs from each e-cigarette were counted.
resultsSubjective reward value was higher for the flavored versus the unflavored e-cigarette (β=0.83, CI 0.35-1.32, p=0.001). Participants worked harder for flavored e-cigarette puffs versus unflavored e-cigarette puffs (breakpoint=5.7; 597 responses versus 127 responses; β=460.733, CI 246.58-674.88, p<0.0001). Participants took twice as many flavored puffs than unflavored e-cigarette puffs (40 vs 23 puffs; IRR=2.028, CI 1.183-3.475, p=0.01).
conclusionsFlavoring enhances the rewarding and reinforcing value of e-cigarettes with nicotine, and thus their abuse liability in young adult smokers. Further research is necessary to determine whether the use of flavoring in e-cigarettes impacts cigarette smoking behavior among young adults.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.