Getting paid to vape? Researchers say that's a dangerous combination

Vaping technology is evolving rapidly, with new devices now offering users cryptocurrency and other rewards tied to their vaping behavior. Researchers from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center warn that combining addictive substances with financial incentives through gamification and artificial intelligence makes these devices riskier and more addictive.

Lead author Dr. Amanda Palmer explains that these products are rewarding people for engaging in an already addictive behavior, which contradicts the approach used in substance use treatment. The perspective article, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, highlights two such products: Puffpaw, marketed as a nicotine quitting aid, and Gudtrip, a cannabis vaping device that pairs AI and cryptocurrency with user behavior tracking.

Both devices connect to smartphone apps to monitor user activity. While smart vaping devices are relatively new, researchers urge caution before they become more widespread. Nicotine and cannabis both stimulate the brain's reward system, potentially making it harder to quit. Financial incentives and the ability to vape frequently throughout the day further increase the risk of addiction.

Dr. Tracy Smith, another researcher, warns that these devices reward continued use, with no incentive for quitting. The financial rewards can even be redeemed for more refills, creating a self-sustaining system. The researchers compare these smart vapes to historical tobacco marketing tactics, which also used rewards to promote brand loyalty.

However, unlike past strategies, smart vapes integrate technology, cryptocurrency, and game-like features that track users' behavior and encourage ongoing engagement. The researchers express particular concern about these products' appeal to adolescents and young adults, as their marketing strategies resemble those of technology or gaming platforms.

The cannabis product, for instance, is marketed as merging AI, cryptocurrency, and cannabis—highly appealing features for young people whose brains are still developing. Another vulnerable group is individuals facing financial hardships, who may be motivated by the prospect of earning money or digital assets through vaping. The paper also highlights the appeal of these products to those with substance use disorders, as they take the opposite approach by rewarding continued use of an addictive substance.

Furthermore, regulations have not kept pace with the rapid development of vaping technologies. While nicotine vaping products must receive FDA authorization in the U.S., these smart devices have not been approved, meaning they are not legally sold. However, unauthorized vaping products are readily available. The FDA has struggled to enforce regulations against youth-targeted vaping devices, and the researchers argue that products incentivizing vaping through financial rewards should be subject to similar scrutiny.