Importance
E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among adolescents. Despite known harms of nicotine exposure among teens, there are no empirically tested vaping cessation interventions.
Objective
To compare the effectiveness of a text message program for nicotine vaping cessation among adolescents with assessment-only control.
Design, Setting, and Participants
A parallel, 2-group, double-blind, individually randomized clinical trial with follow-ups at 1 and 7 months after randomization was conducted from October 1, 2021, to October 18, 2023. Participants were recruited via social media ads; the intervention was delivered via text message; and assessments were completed online or by telephone. Eligible individuals were US residents aged 13 to 17 years who reported past 30-day e-cigarette use, were interested in quitting within 30 days, and owned a mobile phone with an active text message plan. To optimize study retention, all participants received monthly assessments via text message about e-cigarette use.
Interventions
Assessment-only controls (n = 744) received only study retention text messages. Intervention participants (n = 759) also received an automated, interactive text message program for vaping cessation that delivers cognitive and behavioral coping skills training and social support.
Main Outcomes and Measures
The primary outcome was self-reported 30-day point-prevalence abstinence from vaping at 7 months analyzed as intention-to-treat, with missingness coded as vaping.
