UCL Vape/HNB Study
University College London would like your help with a study investigating vape/HNB devices
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by Dave Cross
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Hannah writes: “We want to investigate the possible health effects of using novel nicotine and tobacco-containing products, i.e. e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn devices (e.g. IQOS), compared with smoking conventional cigarettes. To do this, we want to assess what potentially harmful chemicals enter the bodies of people using these products compared with those not using these products.”
This means she is seeking out current vapers, HNB users and smokers.
Initially, everybody needs to complete a quick online screening survey to ensure that they meet the criteria. An email will be sent to all those who are then selected for the study.
“We wish to recruit three groups of participants:
- Current smokers (who have smoked manufactured or hand-rolled tobacco cigarettes for at least 6 months) (for two 30-60 min sessions)
- Ex-smokers (who now vape, i.e. use e-cigarettes) (for one 30-60 min session)
- Ex-smokers (who now use heat-not-burn products, e.g. IQOS) (for one 30-60 min session)”
The study needs you to live in or be prepared to travel to London to take part. You must be over 18yrs-old, not pregnant, and not have any previous or current heart or lung-related diseases.
If cleared by the screening process, you will be invited to University College London. Prior to your appointment you mustn’t have used any nicotine/tobacco products, eaten food, drunk alcohol or used the toilet for up to an hour before attendance.
The session will involve having your heart rate and breath measured. You will then be asked to provide a urine sample.
Next step is completing a questionnaire about yourself, your health and your smoking/vaping/HNB behaviour.
Vapers and HNB users will then be asked to use their own devices for five minutes outside before having heart and breath measurements taken a second time. A second questionnaire will then need to be completed.
Current smokers will be asked to use either an e-cigarette or IQOS (provided by the researcher) before having measurements taken and doing the questionnaire. This cohort will be invited back for a second session the following week.
Participants will receive a £20 Amazon voucher and up to £5 cash travel reimbursement per session, but the main point of the exercise is to aid researchers to develop a better understanding of the relative benefits of switching to a lower-risk device.
Resources:
- UCL online screening survey - https://research-study.wixsite.com/heat-not-burn
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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