Overview

• The study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics used a novel e-Vape self-administration assay to allow adolescent mice to voluntarily inhale flavored aerosols without nicotine.
• Four flavor conditions—menthol, cherry and vanilla with nicotine, and vanilla alone—elicited higher reinforcement behaviors compared to controls, while cherry without nicotine did not.
• Zero-nicotine vanilla vapor was sufficient to trigger reward-seeking behavior linked to dopamine activation in the nucleus accumbens.
• Molecular docking and functional assays showed green apple and vanilla compounds modulate α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors implicated in addiction pathways.
• Researchers warn that these findings underscore the need for regulatory action on flavored vape products marketed as nicotine-free to prevent youth addiction.