# A novel online vaping intervention and smoking prevention program for young adults who vape: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

## TL;DR

This study tests a mobile-based program to help young adults reduce vaping and avoid starting cigarette smoking.

## Contribution

This is the first RCT to evaluate a mobile intervention targeting smoking susceptibility and vaping reduction in young adults.

## Key findings

- The trial will assess vaping reduction and smoking susceptibility outcomes at 2, 4, and 8 weeks.
- The intervention is delivered via a mobile-based program called LIFFE.

## Abstract

E-cigarette use (i.e., vaping) is prevalent among young adults in the U.S. Studies show that young adults who vape are more likely to initiate cigarette smoking than young adults who do not vape. Despite this, little research on vaping interventions and prevention of smoking for young adults who vape exist.

A 2-arm pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted by recruiting young adults ages 18–24 who reported vaping at least once per week in the past 30 days and having never smoked cigarettes at baseline. Participants will be recruited via social media ads and be randomly assigned to an intervention arm, which will be the Live Free From E-cigarettes (LIFFE) mobile-based program (n = 50), or a waitlist control arm (n = 50). The primary outcomes are biochemically verified 7-day point prevalence abstinence for nicotine vaping, vaping reduction, and smoking susceptibility. Outcomes are measured at 2-, 4-, and 8-weeks after randomization.

This is the first RCT to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile-based intervention that targets smoking susceptibility while also supporting vaping cessation or vaping reduction in young adults. Findings may inform future efforts to prevent transition to cigarette smoking and vaping cessation and reduction in young adults.

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06129123; Date of registration: 11/10/2023.