The Effect of an Acute Exercise Bout on Juul Cravings in
College-Aged Students
Megan Pesci, Julia Tremel, Steven Verba PhD Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA

Introduction
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are compact battery-powered
devices that deliver nicotine and other additives in aerosol form. Juul, a
brand of e-cigarettes and vaporizers, have recently become popular
given their discreet size, high nicotine content, and flavored aerosols.
Juul devices are popular among middle school and high school aged
students and are marketed as alternatives to traditional cigarettes in the
general population. Juul devices have been shown to be successful in a
smoking cessation program; however, negative health effects like
respiratory disease and reduced cellular function exist.

Although the prevalence of Juuling is increasingly a public health
concern, there is limited research investigating potential solutions for
this e-cigarette epidemic, particularly as high school users progress
through their college years. Previous research has demonstrated
through the QSU-brief questionnaire that an acute bout of exercise can
mitigate traditional cigarette cravings, at various time points after the
exercise session and possibly even the next morning, and it is possible
that this model may be applied to Juuling as well. Further, traditional
exercise interventions have primarily included aerobic exercise
intervention, whereas resistance exercise has not been widely
employed.

Purpose
• To examine the relationship between an acute bout of exercise
and Juul cravings in sedentary, habitual Juul using college
students
• Observe whether there is a displayed onset of the first craving in
the morning after a bout of exercise

Results

Methods

Table 1. Participant Information

Visit 1:
• Non-Exercise
• QSU-Brief completed at baseline, after 15 minutes of
sitting quietly, and after another 10 minutes of sitting
quietly

• N=6
• 18-24 years old, current SRU student
• No desire to quit Juuling within the next month
• Inactive according to ACSM guidelines
• No physician clearance needed to exercise based on
ACSM screening protocol

Juul History (mos)
15.7 ± 6.5

Start Age (yrs)
19.5 ± 1.2

Figure 1. Response to QSU-Brief Question 1

Figure 2. Response to QSU-Brief Question 2

Figure 3. Change in Desire to Juul

Figure 4. Change in Urge for Juul

Visit 2:
• Aerobic Exercise bout
• Walk on treadmill at 40-50% HRR for 15 minutes
• QSU-Brief completed at the beginning of the session,
immediately after walking, and 10 minutes after sitting
quietly
Visit 3:
• Resistance Training bout
• Two sets of 12-15 repetitions performed on five different
exercise machines, lasting approximately 15 minutes
• QSU-Brief completed at baseline, immediately after
exercise, and 10 minutes after sitting quietly
• Follow-up
questions and were sent to participants via eQuestionnaire of Smoking Urges – Brief (QSU-Brief)
ID#:___________________
mail
Visit # (Circle One): 1
2
3
• Two-way,
multifactorial repeated measures ANOVA
Time (Circle One): Baseline
Post Intervention
10 min Post Intervention
Email
• Treatment x Time
Table 2. Responses to Email Follow Up

1. I have a desire for my Juul right now.
1
Strongly
Disagree

2

3

4
Neutral

5

6

7
Strongly
Agree

4
Neutral

5

6

7
Strongly
Agree

2. I have an urge for my Juul.
1
Strongly
Disagree

2

3

3. I could control things better now if I could smoke.

Subjects

Age (yrs)
20.8 ± 1.3

1
Strongly
Disagree

2

3

4
Neutral

5

2

3

4
Neutral

6

7
Strongly
Agree

5

6

7
Strongly
Agree

5

6

7
Strongly
Agree

5. Smoking would make me less depressed.
1
Strongly
Disagree

2

3

4
Neutral

Time to Urge
(mins)
15.3 ± 16.4
13.3 ± 16.9
14.5 ± 22.9

Time to Use
(mins)
18.6 ± 17.1
17.7 ± 17.6
18.0 ± 21.8

Range
(mins)
0-45
0-45
0-60

*Responses to QSU-brief and Email follow-up questions were not statistically significant

4. I would do almost anything for my Juul right now.
1
Strongly
Disagree

Email
Follow-Up
Non-Exercise
Aerobic
RT

Conclusion
• An acute bout of exercise does not appear to affect college-aged
students’ Juul urges
• More data will need to be collected as part of this pilot study
• Recruitment methods in the future will need to address student
barriers of being identified as a “Juuler” and the negative
stigma that is assumed to be associated with this behavior