Smoking Research Study
Researchers at Penn State University are partnering with individuals who smoke cigarettes regularly to evaluate how black raspberry lozenges can protect your mouth cells from tobacco smoke. Join our compensated study today!
Fast Facts
Smoke Cigarettes daily
not planning to quit
21-75 years old
Compensation Provided
Conducted in hershey, PA
Study Background
Can black raspberry lozenges protect your mouth from cigarette smoke?
Previous research has shown that smoking cigarettes directly exposes your mouth to damaging chemicals. In this study, we want to learn about the potential effects that black raspberry lozenges may have on reducing the damage to mouth cells from cigarette smoke.
If you join the study, you will be asked to complete a total of 8 visits at Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center and the Clinical Research Center over a period of 13 weeks. At these visits, you will answer a few surveys and provide samples of urine, exhaled breath, and mouth cells (obtained using a soft toothbrush). You will be seen by a study team member for an oral health screening exam. You will be provided (free of charge) black raspberry lozenges to dissolve in your mouth 5 times per day for a period of 8 weeks.
Throughout the study, you will be asked to keep a log of the cigarettes that you have smoked and the black raspberry lozenges you have consumed. At the beginning and end of the study, you will be contacted by a trained dietitian to collect a 24-hour food recall assessment.
Your participation in this study may help future researchers find better ways to protect the health of smokers. Advance research today and join our study!
Study Background
Can black raspberry lozenges protect your mouth from cigarette smoke?
Previous research has shown that smoking cigarettes directly exposes your mouth to damaging chemicals. In this study, we want to learn about the potential effects that black raspberry lozenges may have on reducing the damage to mouth cells from cigarette smoke.
If you join the study, you will be asked to complete a total of 8 visits at Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center and the Clinical Research Center over a period of 13 weeks. At these visits, you will answer a few surveys and provide samples of urine, exhaled breath, and mouth cells (obtained using a soft toothbrush). You will be seen by a study team member for an oral health screening exam. You will be provided (free of charge) black raspberry lozenges to dissolve in your mouth 5 times per day for a period of 8 weeks.
Throughout the study, you will be asked to keep a log of the cigarettes that you have smoked and the black raspberry lozenges you have consumed. At the beginning and end of the study, you will be contacted by a trained dietitian to collect a 24-hour food recall assessment.
Your participation in this study may help future researchers find better ways to protect the health of smokers. Advance research today and join our study!
Additional Information
You may qualify for this study if you meet the following criteria.
Key Criteria:
- 21-75 years old
- Smoke at least 5 cigarettes a day for the past 12 months
- No recent quit attempts
- Not planning to quit in the next 4 months
- No use of other tobacco products besides cigarettes
- No use of recreational drugs or heavy drinking
- No allergies to raspberries
- Not pregnant or nursing
- No serious or unstable medical issues
- No uncontrolled mental illness, substance abuse, or inpatient treatment in the past 6 months
- Not currently on antibiotics
The length of the study is 13 weeks, and you will be provided the investigational black raspberry lozenges to use 5 times per day over an 8-week period.
There are 8 total clinic visits. The first visit is approximately 1 hour. The other visits are approximately 30-40 minutes. All visits are at Penn State Health (Hershey, PA) at the Clinical Research Center.
During visits, participants will provide samples of urine and mouth cells, perform other health measurements (i.e. weight, blood pressure, exhaled carbon monoxide measurement), and be asked questionnaires. Mouth cells are taken by brushing the insides of both cheeks with a soft toothbrush and rinsing the mouth with salt water.
Between visits you will keep a log of your cigarette and lozenge consumption. You will also be contacted over the phone by a trained dietician at the beginning and end of the study to collect a 24-hour food recall assessment which takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
