Odor Blockers for Smoking

Overseen By Timothy McClintock, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Tim McClintock

Disqualifiers: Non smoker, Inability to smell

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 3 hours per session

40 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Odorants for smoking?

Research shows that smoking negatively affects the ability to smell, and this impairment can improve after quitting. This suggests that treatments involving odorants might help in smoking cessation by enhancing the sense of smell, which is often dulled by smoking. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether blockers of perception of key odorants in cigarette smoke have any utility in smoking cessation. The main question it aims to answer is: • Can odor blockers be used to suppress perception of the intensity of cigarette smoke in ways that reduce the ability of the odor of cigarette smoke to increase the urge to smoke. Participants will be asked to smell up to 20 odor samples per session and report on odor pleasantness and desire to smoke.

Research Team

Timothy McClintock, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Kentucky

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals who currently smoke cigarettes and can smell and taste normally. It's not suitable for non-smokers or those with a self-reported inability to smell or taste.

Inclusion Criteria

Smoker

Exclusion Criteria

I cannot smell or taste anything.

Non Smoker

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants are exposed to various odor samples, including controls, blocking odors, and cigarette smoke, and report on odor pleasantness and desire to smoke.

3 hours per session

Multiple sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in smoking behavior and perception of odors after treatment sessions.

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Odorants

Trial Overview The study is testing whether certain substances, called odor blockers, can reduce the appeal of cigarette smoke by suppressing its perceived intensity, potentially helping smokers quit.

Participant Groups

Group I: Participants that Smoke Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Each smoker is asked to smell up to 20 samples per session. Samples include controls (clean air, irrelevant odor), blocking odors, cigarette smoke, and cigarette smoke mixed with blocking odors or irrelevant odors.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Tim McClintock

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

40+

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Trials

377

Recruited

190,000+

Findings from Research

In a study of 638 participants, cigarette smoking was found to negatively impact the ability to identify odors in a dose-related manner, meaning the more someone smoked, the worse their sense of smell was.

Current smokers were nearly twice as likely to have olfactory deficits compared to non-smokers, but those who quit smoking showed improvements in their sense of smell over time, indicating that the effects of smoking on olfactory function can be long-lasting yet reversible.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dose-related effects of cigarette smoking on olfactory function. Frye, RE., Schwartz, BS., Doty, RL.[2016]

Former smokers who quit smoking within the last 15 years showed significant olfactory impairment compared to never smokers, indicating that the effects of smoking on the sense of smell can last for over a decade after cessation.

Olfactory decline may serve as a predictor for cardiovascular disease, suggesting that monitoring smell function could help identify individuals at risk for heart attacks or heart disease.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olfactory dysfunction persists after smoking cessation and signals increased cardiovascular risk. Siegel, JK., Wroblewski, KE., McClintock, MK., et al.[2023]

The hypobaric chamber tar-removing system (HCTRS) effectively removes 98.5% of tar from mainstream cigarette smoke, as demonstrated by a study involving 80 smoker volunteers and the analysis of tar retention in prototypes.

The device not only reduces tar but also decreases the inhalation of harmful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are known carcinogens, suggesting it could significantly improve health outcomes for smokers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of a new device to retain carcinogenic compounds of tar from mainstream cigarette smoke for the prevention of smoking-associated tumors. Lazzarino, G., Tavazzi, B., Sinibaldi-Vallebona, P., et al.[2023]

In a study involving four sedentary subjects who smoked eight cigarettes over one hour, it was found that the odor intensity in the chamber increased significantly after smoking, indicating the lingering effects of cigarette smoke.

The odor intensity remained constant for one to two hours after smoking, suggesting that cigarette smoke acts as an unreactive contaminant in the environment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stability of tobacco smoke odor in enclosed spaces. Clausen, GH., Fanger, PO., Cain, WS., et al.[2016]

A study of 65 smokers and 49 non-smokers using the 'Sniffin' Sticks' test revealed that smokers had significantly lower scores in olfactory function measures, indicating impaired sense of smell.

The research found that smoking is a strong independent risk factor for olfactory deficits, with smokers being nearly six times more likely to experience these deficits compared to non-smokers, and the severity of impairment was related to the duration and amount of smoking.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of smoking on the olfactory function. Katotomichelakis, M., Balatsouras, D., Tripsianis, G., et al.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dose-related effects of cigarette smoking on olfactory function. [2016]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olfactory dysfunction persists after smoking cessation and signals increased cardiovascular risk. [2023]

3. Greece pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of a new device to retain carcinogenic compounds of tar from mainstream cigarette smoke for the prevention of smoking-associated tumors. [2023]

4. Japan pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stability of tobacco smoke odor in enclosed spaces. [2016]

5. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of smoking on the olfactory function. [2022]