Pre-market data are required to estimate population uptake of e-cigarettes and may be used as a component of a dynamic population model (DPM). To develop tools to collect such data, a suite of questionnaires of subjective measures of individuals’ motivations for and use of tobacco and nicotine was collated. The main objective of this pilot study was to test subject burden and understanding of a selection of the questionnaires and to assess their effectiveness for use in pre-market assessment. The secondary objective was to determine changes in responses following a short period of e-cigarette use.

The study was conducted by the Centre for Drug Misuse Research in Glasgow, U.K. Thirty-seven subjects aged between 19 and 64 years who were smokers of at least ten cigarettes per day, and had never used but were willing to try e-cigarettes, were recruited. Subjects completed a web-based questionnaire including questions about cigarette consumption, smoking history and perceptions of e-cigarettes prior to first use.

Each subject was provided with an e-cigarette and cartridges to use in their normal environment for a week and asked to record their daily e-cigarette use and daily cigarette consumption in a diary. After a week the subjects completed a follow-up questionnaire assessing their perceptions and experiences of using the e-cigarette.

Subjects indicated good comprehension of the questionnaire instruments and many subjects reported cognitive and behavioural effects of e-cigarette use. For example, daily cigarette consumption decreased with more frequent use of the e-cigarette, and the intensity of urges to smoke significantly decreased following the week of use.

The questionnaires were suitable to collect pre-market data and data may be useful as input for a DPM. The questionnaires need to be validated with larger subject numbers and different populations and additional items are required to collect data from never and former smokers.