Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41242422›Full record

GuidelineChest2026

Critical Gaps in the Scientific Basis for Electronic Cigarette Regulation: An American College of Chest Physicians Research Statement.

Frank T Leone, Mary Barrosse-Antle, Mathew Bars, Laura E Crotty-Alexander, Carolyn Dresler, Jonathan Iaccarino, Marwah Ibrahem, Hasmeena Kathuria, Adam Edward Lang, Zachary C Rich and 5 more

Abstract readReviewPractice Guideline
In one paragraph

Guideline in Chest, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Frank T LeoneUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address: frank.leone2@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Mary Barrosse-AntleUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Mathew BarsFire Department of the City of New York, Tobacco Treatment Program, New York, NY.
Laura E Crotty-AlexanderUniversity of California San Diego, San Diego, CA.
Carolyn DreslerAction on Smoking and Health, Denver, CO.
Jonathan IaccarinoThomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA; American College of Chest Physicians, Glenview, IL.
Marwah IbrahemNew York University, New York, NY.
Hasmeena KathuriaUniversity of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
Adam Edward LangVirginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA.
Zachary C RichBoston University, Boston, MA.
Maaz SheikhPenn State University, Hershey, PA.
Evan L SteppNational Jewish Health, Denver, CO.
Diane Stover-PepeMemorial Sloan-Kettering, New York, NY.
John E StuddardAmerican College of Chest Physicians, Glenview, IL.
CHEST Tobacco and Vaping Workgroup

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI Michael Jason de la Cruz · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act granted the US Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over tobacco products, extended to include electronic cigarettes (ECs) in 2016. Regulatory science informs potential market restrictions based on the population health standard. The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) Tobacco/Vaping Work Group is charged with prioritizing tobacco-related advocacy. To identify critical gaps in the science guiding EC regulation, we undertook a systematic exploration of existing evidence to develop future research recommendations.

methodsFifteen CHEST Tobacco/Vaping Work Group members with relevant expertise in tobacco science, health policy, and methodology prioritized 12 candidate research areas and selected the 4 highest-ranked questions for review: accessibility limitations, nicotine delivery limits, non-cardiac/non-malignant risks, and flavorant impact on airway biology. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, and relevant studies were reviewed to develop recommendations through group consensus. KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: While age-appropriate restrictions reduce uptake, alternative access channels limit their impact, necessitating pragmatic trials of various restrictions and enforcement methods. Limiting nicotine delivery may lead to compensatory behaviors and increased toxicant exposure, requiring pharmacokinetic assessments that account for substantive variations in user behavior. Associations between EC use and respiratory symptoms, mood disorders, attentional disturbances, and poor academic performance underscore the need for epidemiologic and mechanistic research into non-cardiac/non-malignant health risks. There is strong evidence that flavorant aerosols induce cytotoxicity in mammalian cells; however, their specific effects on humans remain insufficiently studied to inform product regulation.

conclusionsGaps in EC regulatory science hinder effective policy development. The panel recommends a focused research agenda addressing pragmatic trials of access restrictions, detailed evaluation of nicotine delivery limits, investigation of non-cardiac/non-malignant risks, and quantification of aerosol toxicity, with attention to diverse real-world use patterns to better inform regulation and protect public health.

Indexed as

Electronic Nicotine Delivery SystemsVapingHumansSocieties, MedicalUnited Statesaddictionnicotineregulationsmokingsmoking cessationtobacco

Identifiers

PMID41242422
PMCPMC13197972

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.