The effect of "ice" components in sweet-flavored nicotine-containing e-liquids among young adult e-cigarette users.

Abstract

E-cigarette use is prevalent among young adults, with "ice" e-cigarettes/liquids that combine sweet and cooling flavors becoming increasingly popular. This study examines if an "ice" component (e.g., menthol) alters liking, sensory experiences, and reward of sweet-flavored nicotine e-liquids among young adults. A double-blinded laboratory session was conducted with past-month e-cigarette users aged 18-20 (N = 40). Participants were exposed in random order to a sweet-flavored (watermelon) e-liquid with and without menthol in two 10-puff bouts. Both e-liquids contained 36 mg/ml nicotine salt and 50:50 propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin. Participants rated flavor liking and overall vaping experience using the Labeled Hedonic Scale, sensory effects using generalized Labeled Magnitude Scales, and reward effects using the Drug Effects Questionnaire. Linear mixed models analyzed outcomes with flavor condition, sex, and their interaction as fixed effects, adjusting for flavor order. Participants (average age = 19.1 years, SD = 0.8; 52.5% female and 67.5% White) used e-cigarettes on average 6.2 (SD = 1.5) days/week. Participants reported marginally less liking of the overall vaping experience for the watermelon flavor with menthol (M = -3.92 [SE = 3.16]) compared to the watermelon flavor without menthol (M = 1.27 [SE = 3.16], p = .05). No main effects of flavor, sex, or their interactions were observed in sensory and reward effects (ps > .05). Among our sample of young adult e-cigarette users, adding a cooling component to a sweet-flavored e-liquid did not result in altered liking, sensory, or reward effects compared to sweet-flavored e-liquid without cooling. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).