Wasim Maziak

Research topics

Matched from this investigator's NIH project titles and abstracts.

• Emotion and Affective Neuroscience
• Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

Active NIH awards

• Developing and testing health warning labels on the ENDS device

  5R01DA051836-05

  NIDA · FY 2025 · $439K

  Developing and Testing Health Warnings for ENDS PROJECT SUMMARY The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS or e-cigarettes) has reached epidemic levels among young people in the United States (US). ENDS emit toxic substances, including nicotine that irreversibly affects youth’s developing brain leading to dependence and increased risk of cigarette smoking initiation, yet misperceptions about their safety are widespread. Therefore, health communication of ENDS-related risks through Health Warning Labels (HWLs) has been considered as a priority by leading health and regulatory bodies in the US to reduce ENDS use among young people. We have developed and pilot-tested a clinical lab model to examine the potential effects of pictorial HWLs on young (21-29 yrs) ENDS users’ experiences. In this proposal, we will use this model coupled with a systematic development of ENDS pictorial HWLs to test their effect when they are placed on the device on a variety of subjective (e.g. satisfaction, harm perception, nicotine dependence, intention to quit) and objective outcomes (e.g. plasma nicotine, puff topography). This will be done in three stages. First, we will review the literature and develop candidate messages and their associated pictures for the HWLs (n=45). This initial set of HWLs will then be revised and ranked through a Delphi study among tobacco control, regulation, and health communication experts. Second, we will conduct focus groups with young ENDS (21-29 yrs) users to adapt the candidate HWLs to our target population and device itself. Third, we will test HWLs on the ENDS device in a clinical lab cross-over study, where each subject uses ENDS in 2 sessions; 1) their preferred product without HWL (control), and 2) their preferred product with pictorial HWL on the ENDS device. This design will allow us to test our main hypothesis; compared to control, using ENDS with the HWLs is associated with decreased satisfaction, dependence suppression, and puffing behavior, but increased knowledge about harm and intention to quit. This project will guide policymakers into the application of effective HWLs for ENDS and will develop warning messages and pictorials that national and state stakeholders can use through different modalities in counter-marketing campaigns to protect young people and discourage harmful ENDS use.

• The effect of menthol on ENDS users' dependence, respiratory, and toxicants emission outcomes

  5R01DA055937-04

  NIDA · FY 2025 · $427K

  PROJECT SUMMARY The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; e-cigarettes) has reached epidemic levels among young people in the United States (US). ENDS heat and vaporize a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an inhalable aerosol mist. While generally considered less harmful than combustible cigarettes, ENDS use exposes users to dependence-producing nicotine and respiratory and cardiovascular toxicants such as aldehydes. Flavor is a major factor in getting young people to use ENDS, thus limiting flavors to menthol and tobacco for prefilled cartridge ENDS “pod mods” was the first major action taken by the FDA to reduce the spread of ENDS among young people. Menthol flavor, however, can present a potential risk given its increasing popularity among young people in the US, and its puffing and nicotine-enhancing properties. Yet, the extent of menthol’s ability to affect users' experience and puffing patterns, and how these affect dependence, exposure to toxicants, and clinical outcomes continue to be understudied. Such evidence will be critical to the FDA's ability to set further regulatory standards to reduce ENDS potential harm. Our team of experts in tobacco regulatory science will apply clinical and analytical laboratory methods to address this gap in evidence by conducting a 2x2 (pre-post x menthol vs. tobacco flavor) crossover clinical lab study. We will recruit current/past month ENDS users (n=200, 21-35 yrs), who will come to the lab for two sessions and use their ENDS once with menthol and once with tobacco flavors. While we apply standard and well-tested lab models suitable for regulatory-related research, we have supplemented these with cutting-edge puffing robot technology to detect ENDS-associated emissions of toxicants. The proposed studies will answer two key regulatory questions consistent with FDA’s focus on the role of flavor in tobacco products’ addiction and toxicity; 1) compared to tobacco flavor, does menthol carry additional risk by enhancing puffing, abuse liability, and toxicant exposure in ENDS users, and; 2) is this effect more pronounced among high dependence compared to other users. Other outcomes such as harm perception, satisfaction, clinical responses, intention to use or quit, and group comparisons such as according to race, and sex will allow the FDA a comprehensive assessment of the pros and cons of regulating mentholated ENDS for different segments of the society. Such evidence will help advance FDA regulatory policies with the potential to reduce ENDS harm.

• The effect of menthol on ENDS users' dependence, respiratory, and toxicants emission outcomes

  5R01DA055937-03

  NIDA · FY 2024 · $427K

  PROJECT SUMMARY The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; e-cigarettes) has reached epidemic levels among young people in the United States (US). ENDS heat and vaporize a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an inhalable aerosol mist. While generally considered less harmful than combustible cigarettes, ENDS use exposes users to dependence-producing nicotine and respiratory and cardiovascular toxicants such as aldehydes. Flavor is a major factor in getting young people to use ENDS, thus limiting flavors to menthol and tobacco for prefilled cartridge ENDS “pod mods” was the first major action taken by the FDA to reduce the spread of ENDS among young people. Menthol flavor, however, can present a potential risk given its increasing popularity among young people in the US, and its puffing and nicotine-enhancing properties. Yet, the extent of menthol’s ability to affect users' experience and puffing patterns, and how these affect dependence, exposure to toxicants, and clinical outcomes continue to be understudied. Such evidence will be critical to the FDA's ability to set further regulatory standards to reduce ENDS potential harm. Our team of experts in tobacco regulatory science will apply clinical and analytical laboratory methods to address this gap in evidence by conducting a 2x2 (pre-post x menthol vs. tobacco flavor) crossover clinical lab study. We will recruit current/past month ENDS users (n=200, 21-35 yrs), who will come to the lab for two sessions and use their ENDS once with menthol and once with tobacco flavors. While we apply standard and well-tested lab models suitable for regulatory-related research, we have supplemented these with cutting-edge puffing robot technology to detect ENDS-associated emissions of toxicants. The proposed studies will answer two key regulatory questions consistent with FDA’s focus on the role of flavor in tobacco products’ addiction and toxicity; 1) compared to tobacco flavor, does menthol carry additional risk by enhancing puffing, abuse liability, and toxicant exposure in ENDS users, and; 2) is this effect more pronounced among high dependence compared to other users. Other outcomes such as harm perception, satisfaction, clinical responses, intention to use or quit, and group comparisons such as according to race, and sex will allow the FDA a comprehensive assessment of the pros and cons of regulating mentholated ENDS for different segments of the society. Such evidence will help advance FDA regulatory policies with the potential to reduce ENDS harm.

• The effect of menthol on ENDS users' dependence, respiratory, and toxicants emission outcomes

  5R01DA055937-02

  NIDA · FY 2023 · $426K

  PROJECT SUMMARY The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; e-cigarettes) has reached epidemic levels among young people in the United States (US). ENDS heat and vaporize a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an inhalable aerosol mist. While generally considered less harmful than combustible cigarettes, ENDS use exposes users to dependence-producing nicotine and respiratory and cardiovascular toxicants such as aldehydes. Flavor is a major factor in getting young people to use ENDS, thus limiting flavors to menthol and tobacco for prefilled cartridge ENDS “pod mods” was the first major action taken by the FDA to reduce the spread of ENDS among young people. Menthol flavor, however, can present a potential risk given its increasing popularity among young people in the US, and its puffing and nicotine-enhancing properties. Yet, the extent of menthol’s ability to affect users' experience and puffing patterns, and how these affect dependence, exposure to toxicants, and clinical outcomes continue to be understudied. Such evidence will be critical to the FDA's ability to set further regulatory standards to reduce ENDS potential harm. Our team of experts in tobacco regulatory science will apply clinical and analytical laboratory methods to address this gap in evidence by conducting a 2x2 (pre-post x menthol vs. tobacco flavor) crossover clinical lab study. We will recruit current/past month ENDS users (n=200, 21-35 yrs), who will come to the lab for two sessions and use their ENDS once with menthol and once with tobacco flavors. While we apply standard and well-tested lab models suitable for regulatory-related research, we have supplemented these with cutting-edge puffing robot technology to detect ENDS-associated emissions of toxicants. The proposed studies will answer two key regulatory questions consistent with FDA’s focus on the role of flavor in tobacco products’ addiction and toxicity; 1) compared to tobacco flavor, does menthol carry additional risk by enhancing puffing, abuse liability, and toxicant exposure in ENDS users, and; 2) is this effect more pronounced among high dependence compared to other users. Other outcomes such as harm perception, satisfaction, clinical responses, intention to use or quit, and group comparisons such as according to race, and sex will allow the FDA a comprehensive assessment of the pros and cons of regulating mentholated ENDS for different segments of the society. Such evidence will help advance FDA regulatory policies with the potential to reduce ENDS harm.

Earlier awards

• Developing and testing health warning labels on the ENDS deviceFY 2024 · $534K
• Developing and testing health warning labels on the ENDS deviceFY 2023 · $534K
• Assessing the effect of nicotine reduction on ENDS user's addiction and exposuresFY 2023 · $407K