A recent study led by researchers at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine found that flavor additives in e-cigarettes can increase vaping behavior in adolescents, even without nicotine.

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The study, published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, showed that certain flavors like vanilla and cherry can drive reinforcement-related behaviors similar to nicotine exposure in adolescent mice.

READ: Nicotine poisoning in kids skyrocketing

“These findings are significant because they demonstrate that some electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) flavors can modulate the brain’s dopamine system—specifically in the nucleus accumbens, a key reward center—even without nicotine present," said lead investigator Brandon J. Henderson, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical sciences at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

The research suggests that some ENDS flavors can affect the brain’s dopamine system and trigger addiction-like behaviors in adolescents, even in the absence of nicotine.

READ: Juul gets FDA’s OK to keep selling tobacco and menthol e-cigarettes

The study highlights the potential risks of flavored vape products marketed as nicotine-free and their impact on youth addiction.

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