Tobacco-Related CarcinomaNCT07581041
Studying the Impacts of Higher Taxes and Bans on Electronic Cigarettes to Improve Public Health
A study testing Discrete Choice Study and Survey Administration in people with Tobacco-Related Carcinoma, run by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This clinical trial studies whether imposing higher taxes and bans on electronic cigarettes (EC) with appealing features impacts tobacco use among current and susceptible adolescents and young adults (AYA) EC users and adults who use EC or are open to EC use. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 15 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Tobacco-Related Carcinoma
- What is being tested?
- Discrete Choice Study and Survey Administration
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 3,400 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Dec 2026to 31 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 15 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- AYAs aged 15-24 who are daily or nondaily users of ECs and are not smoking in the past 30 days
- AYA tobacco nonusers aged 15-24 who are susceptible to EC or tobacco use (i.e., curiosity about the product, intention to try it in the near future, and likely response if a best friend were to offer them the product)
- Adults aged 18+ who are daily or nondaily users of ECs and combustible tobacco in the past 30 days
- Adults aged 18+ who are daily or nondaily users of combustible tobacco in the past 30 days, not currently using ECs but are open to trying ECs
Who cannot join
None listed.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center contact
United States1 site
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, Ohio, 43210
Ce Shang, PhD, 614-685-3741, ce.shang@osumc.edu
Ce Shang, PhD
About this study
Official title: Design Tiered Tax Rates for Electronic Cigarettes (ECs) Based on Their Appeals to Youth and Young Adults
This clinical trial studies whether imposing higher taxes and bans on electronic cigarettes (EC) with appealing features impacts tobacco use among current and susceptible adolescents and young adults (AYA) EC users and adults who use EC or are open to EC use. ECs are currently the most popular form of nicotine or tobacco product in the United States. Compared to burned cigarette products, ECs generally pose fewer short-term harms, making them a promising tool for lowering users' exposure to toxins and cancer-causing chemicals from smoking, promoting better public health outcomes. However, evidence shows that EC marketing has increased overall initiation into nicotine use among AYAs, and that EC users are at a higher risk of becoming smokers, which could have negative public health outcomes. Therefore, understanding the public health impact of EC use and regulation remains a major goal in tobacco control research. This trial studies different scenarios which impose higher taxes or bans on ECs with appealing features. Researchers hope that by studying participant responses to the different scenarios they may be able to identify which ones best discourage EC use among AYAs while promoting adult EC users to quit smoking, which may improve public health.
Read the detailed description
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
- Provide empirical evidence on how tiered EC taxes - imposing higher taxes on ECs with AYA appealing features - impact EC use, combustible tobacco use, and the prevalence of cross-border or illegal purchases.
II. Examine how tiered taxes on AYA-appealing features (flavors, product type, nicotine concentration) impact EC use and combustible tobacco smoking among current and susceptible AYA EC users. (Aim 1) III. Assess how tiered taxes on AYA-appealing features impact EC and combustible tobacco smoking among adult smokers who either use or are open to using ECs. (Aim 2) IV. Compare tiered EC taxes with sales bans on ECs with AYA-appealing features in terms of their impacts on tobacco use, cross-border shopping, and illegal EC purchases. (Aim 3)
OUTLINE: Participants are assigned to 1 of 3 aims.
AIMS 1 \& 2: Participants complete volumetric choice experiments (VCEs) over 20 minutes on study with random assignment to: 1) Nicotine levels (low versus [vs.] high); 2) Flavors (fruit/sweet vs. ice vs. menthol/mint vs. tobacco); 3) EC tax bases (by product type vs. by flavor vs. by nicotine concentration), and 4) rate levels (status quo [equal rates] vs. 50% higher vs. 100% higher vs. 200% higher) among six different products (tanks, pods, disposables, cigarettes, cigars, and oral nicotine pouches [ONPs]) and opt-out options (none of the six products or quitting).
AIM 3: Participants are randomized to 1 of 2 groups.
GROUP 1: Participants complete VCEs over 20 minutes on study with random assignment to: 1) nicotine levels (low versus vs. high) and 2) flavors (fruit/sweet vs. ice vs. menthol/mint vs. tobacco) with optimal tiered tax conditions among four different products (preferred EC type, cigarettes, cigars, ONPs) and opt-out options (none of the six products or quitting).
GROUP 2: Participants complete VCEs over 20 minutes on study with random assignment to: 1) nicotine levels (low versus vs. high), 2) flavors (fruit/sweet vs. ice vs. menthol/mint vs. tobacco), and 3) purchasing sources (out-of-state legal vs. local/online illegal, vs. local legal) with banned conditions among four different products (preferred EC type, cigarettes, cigars, ONPs) and opt-out options (none of the six products or quitting).
- Conditions
- Tobacco-Related Carcinoma
- Being tested
- Discrete Choice Study, Survey Administration
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Discrete Choice StudyOther
Also called DCE, Discrete Choice Experiment, Discrete Choice Task
Complete EC tax base, rate, nicotine level, and flavor VCEs
Discrete Choice StudyOther
Also called DCE, Discrete Choice Experiment, Discrete Choice Task
Complete tiered tax condition VCEs
Discrete Choice StudyOther
Also called DCE, Discrete Choice Experiment, Discrete Choice Task
Complete banned condition VCEs
Survey AdministrationOther
Ancillary studies
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Aim 3 group 1 (tiered tax condition VCEs) | Experimental | Participants complete VCEs over 20 minutes on study with random assignment to: 1) nicotine levels (low versus vs. high) and 2) flavors (fruit/sweet vs. ice vs. menthol/mint vs. tobacco) with optimal tiered tax conditions among four different products (preferred EC type, cigarettes, cigars, ONPs) and opt-out options (none of the six products or quitting). Receives: Other: Discrete Choice Study; Other: Survey Administration |
| Aim 3 group 2 (banned condition VCEs) | Experimental | Participants complete VCEs over 20 minutes on study with random assignment to: 1) nicotine levels (low versus vs. high), 2) flavors (fruit/sweet vs. ice vs. menthol/mint vs. tobacco), and 3) purchasing sources (out-of-state legal vs. local/online illegal, vs. local legal) with banned conditions among four different products (preferred EC type, cigarettes, cigars, ONPs) and opt-out options (none of the six products or quitting). Receives: Other: Discrete Choice Study; Other: Survey Administration |
| Aims 1 & 2 (EC tax base and rate VCEs) | Experimental | Participants complete VCEs over 20 minutes on study with random assignment to: 1) Nicotine levels (low vs. high); 2) Flavors (fruit/sweet vs. ice vs. menthol/mint vs. tobacco); 3) EC tax bases (by product type vs. by flavor vs. by nicotine concentration), and 4) rate levels (status quo [equal rates] vs. 50% higher vs. 100% higher vs. 200% higher) among six different products (tanks, pods, disposables, cigarettes, cigars, and oral nicotine pouches [ONPs]) and opt-out options (none of the six products or quitting). Receives: Other: Discrete Choice Study; Other: Survey Administration |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Electronic cigarette (EC) use among adolescent and young adult (AYA) current/susceptible users (Aim 1)
Will examine how tiered taxes on AYA-appealing features (flavors, product type, nicotine concentration) impact EC use among current and susceptible AYA EC users. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and Multiple Discrete-Continuous Extreme Value (MDCEV) Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 2 years
Combustible tobacco smoking among AYA current/susceptible users (Aim 1)
Will examine how tiered taxes on AYA-appealing features (flavors, product type, nicotine concentration) impact combustible tobacco smoking among current and susceptible AYA EC users. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 2 years
EC use among adult smokers who use or are open to ECs (Aim 2)
Will assess how tiered taxes on AYA-appealing features (flavors, product type, nicotine concentration) impact EC smoking among adult smokers who either use or are open to using ECs. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 2 years
Combustible tobacco smoking among adult smokers who use or are open to ECs (Aim 2)
Will assess how tiered taxes on AYA-appealing features (flavors, product type, nicotine concentration) impact combustible tobacco smoking among adult smokers who either use or are open to using ECs. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 2 years
Tobacco use among AYA EC current/susceptible users (Aim 3)
Will compare tiered EC taxes with sales bans on ECs with AYA-appealing features in terms of their impacts on tobacco use. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 2 years
Cross-border shopping among AYA EC current/susceptible users (Aim 3)
Will compare tiered EC taxes with sales bans on ECs with AYA-appealing features in terms of their impacts on cross-border shopping. In order to assess differences in the proportion of cross-border EC purchases between the two randomization groups, the occurrence of a cross-border EC purchase will be modeled as a binary variable. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 2 years
Illegal EC purchases among AYA EC current/susceptible users (Aim 3)
Will compare tiered EC taxes with sales bans on ECs with AYA-appealing features in terms of their impacts on illegal EC purchases. In order to assess differences in the proportion of illegal EC purchases between the two randomization groups, the occurrence of an illegal EC purchase will be modeled as a binary variable. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 2 years
Tobacco use among adult smokers who use or are open to ECs (Aim 3)
Will compare tiered EC taxes with sales bans on ECs with AYA-appealing features in terms of their impacts on tobacco use. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 3 years
Cross-border shopping among adult smokers who use or are open to ECs (Aim 3)
Will compare tiered EC taxes with sales bans on ECs with AYA-appealing features in terms of their impacts on cross-border shopping. In order to assess differences in the proportion of cross-border EC purchases between the two randomization groups, the occurrence of a cross-border EC purchase will be modeled as a binary variable. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 2 years
Illegal EC purchases among adult smokers who use or are open to ECs (Aim 3)
Will compare tiered EC taxes with sales bans on ECs with AYA-appealing features in terms of their impacts on illegal EC purchases. In order to assess differences in the proportion of illegal EC purchases between the two randomization groups, the occurrence of an illegal EC purchase will be modeled as a binary variable. All hypotheses will be tested using regression analyses. Will use count data models, such as the Negative Binomial model, the Poisson model, and MDCEV Model. Will use clustered sandwich estimators and consider mixed effects, random effects, and fixed effects in the modeling to account for the hierarchical structure (participant-choice set-purchase) and correlations among choices made by the same individual (repeated measures). Analyses will also control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, tobacco use histories/status, and purchase expenditures.
Measured: Up to 3 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 May 2026
- Study start1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Tobacco-Related CarcinomaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Model description
- To address aims 1-2 (how tiered EC taxes impact tobacco use), will conduct two VCEs with manipulations of flavors, nicotine concentration, EC tiered tax bases, and EC tiered rates to determine the combination of EC tiered tax bases and rates that result in the greatest net public health impacts in years 1-2. Next, the optimal combination or EC tiered tax design will be compared to EC bans in aim 3, which will be examined in years 3-4 using split-sample VCEs with randomization.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 3,400 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ce Shang, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Investigators
- Ce Shang, PhD, Principal investigator, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07581041
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- OSU-25157
- Other IDs
- NCI-2026-02421, R01CA303567
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 6 May 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No