Nicotine and Anatabine Exposure from Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes

OBJECTIVES: Research using very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes has shown that participants underreport use of non-study cigarettes. Biomarkers of nicotine exposure could be used to verify compliance with VLNC cigarettes. This study aimed to characterize biomarkers of exposure when participants exclusively use VLNC cigarettes. METHODS: 23 participants stayed in a hotel that permitted smoking for 5 days and 4 nights. They were provided 2 packs of VLNC cigarettes each day (0.4 mg of nicotine/g of tobacco; Spectrum cigarettes) and did not have access to other tobacco products. 24-hour urine samples were collected to assess exposure to nicotine and anatabine. RESULTS: percentile of cotinine, TNE, and anatabine levels were 2.69, 6.41, and 0.0099 nmol/ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Study participants exclusively smoking 0.4 mg/g Spectrum cigarettes are unlikely to have biomarker values above these levels. The data presented here will be valuable to researchers conducting research on use of VLNC cigarettes.