Actively Recruiting
The Use of tDCS for Vaping Reduction
Led by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health · Updated on 2026-03-19
40
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
17 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Project Summary - tDCS for Vaping Reduction Background: While the prevalence of tobacco smoking has plateaued over the last several years, the prevalence of nicotine vaping (e-cigarettes) continues to increase exponentially in Canada. Originally touted as a safe alternative to smoking, e-cigarette use or vaping is now most popular among youth and young adults. The high prevalence of e-cigarette use, coupled with growing evidence of associated harms and reports of addiction and difficulties in quitting reinforces the urgent need to develop and test methods to attenuate e-cigarette craving as a step towards developing approaches to vaping cessation that are brief, inexpensive and effective. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have become a popular area of research as a treatment option for substance use disorders with growing evidence of their effectiveness for a variety of addictions. One of these techniques, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), has been shown to decrease cigarette craving and consumption. Thus, the purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the effectiveness of using tDCS for vaping reduction in e-cigarette users. Methods: This will be a double-blind sham-controlled randomized trial whereby 40 daily nicotine-containing e-cigarette users will be recruited to undergo 10 consecutive daily sessions of tDCS (Monday to Friday for 2 weeks). Participants will be randomized (1:1) to either sham (0mA) or active tDCS (2mA), with the anode at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and cathode at the right DLPFC. The primary outcome is vaping frequency (puffs/day and nicotine pods/week) at end of treatment (2 weeks). The secondary outcome will be e-cigarette craving. Participants will be followed-up via the phone at 1 month and 3 months post randomization respectively. Implication: This will be the first treatment study to target vaping reduction. There are currently no established treatment options for e-cigarette addiction and medications traditionally used for smoking cessation only address withdrawal symptoms and not addiction pathology. Thus, findings from this study may be used to inform future designs of vaping reduction strategies or vaping cessation.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
The Use of tDCS for Vaping Reduction
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Able to provide informed written consent
- Willing to comply with all study procedures
- Age between 18 and 65 years
- Daily use of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes for at least the past 6 months
- Willing to attend daily tDCS sessions Monday through Friday for two consecutive weeks
- Not planning to quit vaping in the next 30 days
You will not qualify if you...
- Substance use disorder other than nicotine dependence
- Current regular use of tobacco cigarettes, nicotine replacement therapy, or smoking cessation medications
- Unstable psychiatric condition
- Recent significant head trauma
- History of seizures or epilepsy
- Presence of pacemakers or implanted electrical devices like cochlear implants
- Metal embedded in the skull
- Skin lesions, open wounds, bruises, or similar injuries on the scalp
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6J 1H4
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
E
Eunice Chen, M.Sc.
CONTACT
K
Kameron Iturralde, B.Sc.
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
DOUBLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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