{"title":"Urgent need to add AI use measures into nicotine and tobacco surveys.","authors":"Ebbie Kalan, Olatokunbo Osibogun, Wei Li, Elvin Khanjahani, Zidian Xie, Ziyad Ben Taleb","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag079","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag079","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1628-1630"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147675282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jessica K Pepper, In Heon Lee, Alexander Maki, Taylor Lee, Jonathan Hannings, Apoorva O Rajan-Sharma, Kevin C Frissell, Jennifer K Bernat
{"title":"Sales of cigarettes with WS-3, a synthetic cooling agent, in an area with a menthol cigarette sales prohibition.","authors":"Jessica K Pepper, In Heon Lee, Alexander Maki, Taylor Lee, Jonathan Hannings, Apoorva O Rajan-Sharma, Kevin C Frissell, Jennifer K Bernat","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag060","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The synthetic cooling agent WS-3 (N-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide) elicits a cooling sensation without a minty taste. In areas with menthol cigarette sales prohibitions, such as California, tobacco companies have marketed cigarettes with WS-3 as alternatives to menthol cigarettes. We examined sales of cigarettes with WS-3 in NielsenIQ's Retail Measurement Services Pacific division, which includes the state of California.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>With NielsenIQ data, we estimated sales of cigarettes with WS-3 from June 2022 to March 2024. We compared the NielsenIQ Pacific division, which includes California and two less populous states (Washington and Oregon), to all other divisions combined. Within the Pacific division, we compared trends in sales of cigarettes with WS-3 to menthol cigarettes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In our study period, cigarettes with WS-3 appeared in the NielsenIQ Pacific division approximately 2 weeks before the implementation of California's menthol cigarette prohibition in December 2022 and did not appear elsewhere in substantive quantities (>5 cartons) until Spring 2023. Most (87.0%) sales of cigarettes with WS-3 during the study period occurred in the Pacific division, peaking near 19 000 weekly carton sales. Weekly sales of Pacific division menthol cigarettes dropped by more than 100 000 cartons in 2 months after California's prohibition.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In the Pacific division, California's menthol cigarette prohibition appears to have moderately reduced sales of menthol cigarettes and spurred sales of cigarettes with WS-3. Observationally, these sales data suggest that cigarettes with WS-3 only partially displaced the declining sales of menthol cigarettes. Future research could examine reasons for and experiences using cigarettes with WS-3.</p><p><strong>Implications: </strong>Tobacco companies explicitly marketed cigarettes with the synthetic cooling agent WS-3 as replacements for menthol cigarettes. Sales data from NielsenIQ's Pacific division suggest that California's menthol cigarette prohibition may have reduced sales of menthol cigarettes and spurred the introduction of cigarettes with WS-3 into the marketplace. The findings suggest that sales of cigarettes with WS-3 did not fully offset the decrease in menthol cigarette sales.</p>","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1599-1603"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13500345/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147699324","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eda Koseli, Katarzyna M Tyc, Belle Buzzi, Hamid I Akbarali, M Imad Damaj
{"title":"The role of the gut microbiome in nicotine withdrawal and dependence.","authors":"Eda Koseli, Katarzyna M Tyc, Belle Buzzi, Hamid I Akbarali, M Imad Damaj","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag057","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag057","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Smoking is considered a global pandemic, with more than 1.3 billion people being active smokers. Increasing evidence suggests that nicotine exposure can lead to changes in the gut microbiome, increases in permeability, and impaired mucosal immune responses in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the literature on behavioral aspects of nicotine-microbiome interaction, such as dependence and withdrawal, is limited. In this study, we used homologous fecal material transplants (FMT) to modify the gut microbiome and its impact on the intensity of nicotine withdrawal in mice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used osmotic minipumps (MPs) as an application of chronic nicotine for 15 days and orally gavaged FMT 2x a day to the mice. We assessed the nicotine withdrawal by measuring the number of somatic signs and anxiety-like behaviors at 24 h and 1 week after the mini pump removal. Fecal samples were also collected points to identify the gut microbiome changes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fecal transplants reduced the number of somatic signs and anxiety-like behaviors in nicotine-treated mice up to a week after the removal of MPs. The shotgun metagenomic results of the fecal samples from 24 h after MP removal time point show altered gut microbiome with a significant shift in the species composition between the nicotine-treated and its homologous FMT treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our results indicate that under our experimental conditions, fecal transplant can reduce the severity of nicotine withdrawal. This suggests that interactions along the gut-brain axis are important for the development of nicotine dependence and might help lower the risk of cancer and other serious health problems in humans.</p><p><strong>Implications: </strong>This report shows for the first time that the gut microbiome may modulate nicotine withdrawal intensity in mice. Homologous fecal material transplants (FMT) prevented nicotine-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis and consequently reduced withdrawal severity in mice. These results may have important implications in the management of smoking cessation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1573-1579"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13500348/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147504520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Margret Z Powell, Shawn J Latendresse, Nicole Kennelly, Tammy Chung, Carolyn E Sartor
{"title":"Measurement invariance in the Youth Electronic Cigarette Outcome Expectancies Questionnaire across sex and race/ethnicity in pre- to early adolescence.","authors":"Margret Z Powell, Shawn J Latendresse, Nicole Kennelly, Tammy Chung, Carolyn E Sartor","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag056","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study examined whether the Youth E-cigarette Outcome Expectancies Questionnaire (YEOEQ) measures e-cigarette beliefs consistently with respect to sex, race/ethnicity, and intersectional identity among Black, Latino, and White youth. Inconsistent measurement, or non-invariance, can lead to misleading conclusions about which groups are at higher risk of e-cigarette use. By identifying and adjusting for this bias, we aimed to improve the accuracy of group comparisons.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were drawn from follow-up 3 of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (n = 8976; Mage = 12.91, 47.27% female; 15.02% Black, 22.94% Latino, 62.03% White). Moderated nonlinear factor analysis was applied to the Positive and Negative Expectancies YEOEQ subscales. Mean subscale scores were compared across groups pre- and post-adjustment for non-invariance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Non-invariance by sex, race/ethnicity, and intersectional identity was observed at the item level for both subscales, and at the factor level for Positive Expectancies. For Positive Expectancies, adjusted comparisons revealed previously undetected lower scores among Black vs Latino (gadjusted = 0.15) and White youth (gadjusted = 0.16) and reduction to non-significance of previously observed higher scores for Latino vs White youth. For Negative Expectancies, observed lower scores for Black vs Latino youth (gunadjusted = 0.15) and Latino vs White youth (gunadjusted = 0.15) remained significant but effect sizes decreased when adjusted.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings demonstrate measurement bias in the YEOEQ by sex and race/ethnicity in early adolescents. Unadjusted scores suggested riskier (more positive) e-cigarette expectancies among Latino than White youth and missed lower risk (less positive) among Black youth, potentially misguiding attention to these marginalized groups.</p><p><strong>Implications: </strong>This is the first known study to assess measurement invariance jointly across sex and race/ethnicity in the Youth Electronic Cigarette Outcome Expectancies Questionnaire and the only known to produce scores adjusted for measurement non-invariance. Results revealed non-invariance across sex and race/ethnicity, implying that valid group comparisons may be compromised without adjusting for this measurement error and that non-adjusted scores may improperly identify group differences that are artifacts of measurement error. The resulting improper assignment of relative risk level (eg, higher positive expectancies in certain groups) could perpetuate harmful stereotypes or exacerbate health disparities with respect to intervention referrals.</p>","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1519-1528"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13205956/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147474333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ashleigh C Block, Connor D Martin, Noel J Leigh, Michelle K Page, Lisa M Kaiser, Glauco H B Nardotto, Spencer R Rosario, Nicholas J Felicione, Richard J O'Connor, Maciej L Goniewicz, Amanda J Quisenberry
{"title":"Effects of nicotine form and tobacco flavor on pharmacokinetics, subjective effects, and behavioral indicators of abuse liability of e-cigarettes.","authors":"Ashleigh C Block, Connor D Martin, Noel J Leigh, Michelle K Page, Lisa M Kaiser, Glauco H B Nardotto, Spencer R Rosario, Nicholas J Felicione, Richard J O'Connor, Maciej L Goniewicz, Amanda J Quisenberry","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag058","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Most contemporary e-cigarettes contain high concentrations of salt-based nicotine, which reduces respiratory irritation typically associated with free-base nicotine liquids. Flavorings can also be used in e-cigarettes to increase nicotine delivery and product appeal. The cumulative effects of nicotine form and flavor on abuse liability are unknown.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a double-blind within-subject, clinical trial (clinicaltrials.gov ID:NCT04231539). Using a standardized puffing protocol, regular users of e-cigarettes tested four liquid formulations (order randomized) of the same nicotine concentration (25.5 ± 2.4 mg/mL, 157.4 ± 14.5 mM): (1) unflavored with free-base nicotine; (2) tobacco-flavored with free-base nicotine; (3) unflavored with salt-based nicotine; (4) tobacco-flavored with salt-based nicotine. Endpoints, analyzed via linear mixed-effects modeling and ANOVA, included pharmacokinetic measures (area under the concentration-time curve, maximum concentration, time to maximum concentration), subjective drug effects (eg, liking, withdrawal relief, sensory effects), and behavioral economic demand (intensity, elasticity).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Salt-based formulations produced higher maximum concentration values (P = .028), were rated as less harsh (P < .001), and created a more intense cooling sensation (P = .002) compared to free-base formulations. Tobacco-flavored formulations also showed a significantly more intense cooling sensation (P = .013) and a greater feeling of nicotine effect (not significant, P = .055) than unflavored formulations. Nominal rankings of study measures, regardless of statistical significance, showed formulations with salt-based nicotine consistently outperformed those with free-base nicotine, regardless of liquid flavor.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings suggest that abuse liability of e-cigarettes is driven more by nicotine form than flavor among regular users. Future studies should consider the effect of nicotine form in conjunction with liquid flavor in other populations, including cigarette smokers seeking to quit.</p><p><strong>Implications: </strong>Our study shows that, regardless of flavor, salt-based nicotine delivers more nicotine to users and is subjectively rated more favorably among participants compared to free-base nicotine, indicating a possibly higher abuse liability. These findings are key points that should be addressed in future studies aimed at examining the influence of nicotine form and liquid flavor in other populations, particularly those seeking to quit smoking cigarettes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1489-1497"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147494416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Misleading incomplete results about dual use when using e-cigarettes as cessation aid.","authors":"Stanton A Glantz","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag069","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag069","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1623-1624"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147593628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shiqi Zhang, Veronica Thai, Shaoying Ma, Sooa Ahn, Jian Chen, Darren Mays, Micah Berman, Theodore L Wagener, Ce Shang
{"title":"Trends in product characteristics of disposable e-cigarettes sold by US online stores between 2022 and 2024.","authors":"Shiqi Zhang, Veronica Thai, Shaoying Ma, Sooa Ahn, Jian Chen, Darren Mays, Micah Berman, Theodore L Wagener, Ce Shang","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag101","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag101","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Monitoring changes in disposable e-cigarette attributes is crucial for youth health and market regulations. Online stores are a major purchasing channel for US youth. This study compares trends in product attributes of disposables between 2022 and 2024 using our unique data scraped from online stores.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We obtained product-level information by scraping websites of online vape stores from our 2022 study that remained in business in 2024, and we examined changes in product attributes including sales prices and standardized prices, product size (mL volume and puff counts), consumer ratings and reviews, nicotine dimensions (concentration, free-base/nicotine salt, tobacco-derived/synthetic), battery capacity, and flavor mentions in description texts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Unique product listings significantly increased from 1638 in 2022 to 8339 in 2024. Sales price per unit and standardized price (per mL or per puff) declined, while product size in terms of mL volume and puff counts increased dramatically. The proportion of products with nicotine salt or synthetic nicotine claims decreased, and 5% nicotine level remained dominant. Fruits, sweets, and menthol were the most prevalent flavor mentions in both years, though the percentage of products declined from 97% to 79%, 69% to 19%, and 59% to 15%, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Disposable e-cigarettes available in the online market have become more diverse, more affordable, and larger in size, especially in puff counts. High nicotine concentration (5%) persists, and fruity flavors remain prevalent. These trends raise public health concerns and require effective market regulations.</p><p><strong>Implications: </strong>From 2022 to 2024, US online retailers of disposable e-cigarettes expanded product offerings, including more unique brands, greater product variety, and more flavor options. Fruits, sweets, and menthol were the most prevalent flavor mentions in both 2022 and 2024, and 5% nicotine concentration remained dominant. The online availability of less expensive disposables with appealing flavors and larger sizes is concerning and suggests rapid market expansion and intensified competition.</p>","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1610-1615"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13278611/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147949011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"White matter microstructure and hemispheric asymmetry alterations in adults who smoke: a connectome-based analysis.","authors":"Hanlu Zhang, Yuanyuan Shi, Caixia Li, Wei Zhao","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag064","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cigarette smoking poses a pervasive health risk increasingly recognized for its impact on the nervous system, yet its effects on brain structure and organization remain incompletely understood. This study examined how smoking addiction influences white matter (WM) microstructure and the architecture of structural brain networks in adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used diffusion tensor imaging to compare fractional anisotropy between participants who smoke (n = 122) and non-smoking control participants (n = 55) to detect WM abnormalities. Whole-brain structural connectomes were constructed, with connections categorized by fiber length. Network features quantified included degree centrality and hemispheric asymmetry. Adaptive Best-Subset Selection method was applied to identify WM connections that may serve as biomarkers for distinguishing individuals who smoke from those who do not.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants who smoke showed widespread WM alterations in pathways related to reward valuation, habit formation, and craving, along with abnormalities in both short- and medium-range connections. Reduced rightward asymmetry in the cuneus indicated lateralized structural changes possibly linked to cue processing in nicotine dependence. Discriminative connections involved orbitofrontal, sensorimotor, and visual regions, underscoring how smoking reshapes brain networks supporting reward valuation, motor control, and cue reactivity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Nicotine dependence is associated with extensive alterations in WM microstructure and network organization, including reduced hemispheric asymmetry. These findings suggest that smoking affects structural connectivity in circuits involved in emotional regulation and reward-related memory.</p><p><strong>Implications: </strong>This study enhances our understanding of how nicotine dependence reshapes WM networks, potentially impairing communication within circuits sustaining addictive behaviors, and provide insights into how smoking alters brain structure and connectivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1580-1589"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147513665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"NTR peer review process-a response to misleading incomplete results about dual use when using e-cigarettes as cessation aid.","authors":"Caitlin Notley","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag073","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag073","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1625"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147593663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katherine R Landwehr, Luke J Berry, Emma E Catchpole, Anthony Kicic, Alexander N Larcombe
{"title":"The respiratory health effects of heated tobacco product aerosols in a primary human airway epithelial cell model.","authors":"Katherine R Landwehr, Luke J Berry, Emma E Catchpole, Anthony Kicic, Alexander N Larcombe","doi":"10.1093/ntr/ntag062","DOIUrl":"10.1093/ntr/ntag062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Heated-tobacco products (HTPs) are electronic devices that \"heat\" a processed tobacco/chemical mixture to produce an inhalable emission. They are advertised as a reduced-risk alternative to cigarette smoking. The aim of our research was to assess their potential health impacts using a 3D human airway model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Primary human airway epithelial cells (n = 9, aged 11-21 years) were grown at air-liquid interface. Cultures were then exposed for 1 h to the emissions from one of three current HTPs (Philip Morris International IQOS3 Duo, British American Tobacco glo and Japan Tobacco International Ploom S). Air and cigarette smoke were used as controls. Emission physico-chemical characteristics were analyzed and cytotoxicity, permeability, differential gene expression, morphology, and inflammatory mediator release were assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HTP emissions contained a range of toxic chemicals, some at higher concentrations than in cigarette smoke. Particle size spectra showed smaller average particle size but also fewer particles overall for HTPs compared with cigarette smoke. Ploom and glo led to the most direct cellular damage, with decreased viability, decreased barrier integrity, and increased airway permeability compared to air controls. Cigarette smoke caused the greatest increased mediator response and change in gene expression, with IQOS causing the second greatest change in gene expression. Conversely, exposure to HTP emissions decreased mediator response (compared with air).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Based on the results from our study, HTPs are not reduced-risk alternative to cigarettes but instead pose an alternative risk.</p><p><strong>Implications: </strong>The implications of this research are that because heated-tobacco products (HTP) exposure elicits damage at the cellular level, and because HTPs deliver less nicotine per puff, users could increase consumption and cumulative toxic exposure. HTPs should not be considered reduced-risk; regulatory oversight, clear public-health warnings, and further research on long-term effects are warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":19241,"journal":{"name":"Nicotine & Tobacco Research","volume":" ","pages":"1564-1572"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13500352/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147499560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}