Manufacturers of oral nicotine products – pouches, tablets, or lozenges – are using splashy ad campaigns to appeal to retailers, particularly focusing on profitability, convenience of use, and availability of non-tobacco flavors, according to a study published in November 2024 by a multi-institution team that included two Yale researchers. Nicotine pouches are relatively new products in the U.S. tobacco market but have been gaining rapid popularity.
Akshika Sharma, PhD
Postdoctoral AssociateDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Postdoctoral Associate
Biography
Dr. Akshika Sharma is a substance use, addiction, and tobacco policy scientist. Her expertise encompasses use of diverse research designs such as experimental studies, clinical trials and surveys to asses harm reduction among cigarette smokers, implications of policy on use behaviors, health effects of emerging nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches, and vaping cessation in both youth and adults. Trained as a Dentist, Dr. Sharma has a particular interest in investigating the oral health implications of novel nicotine products and identifying biomarkers associated with health and disease. Through her work, she addresses critical public health questions related to tobacco dependence, patterns of product use, and associated health impacts for generating evidence to inform regulatory and policy decisions. Her research has been published in prestigious peer reviewed journals. She received the Best Abstract Award in 2024 by Society of research on Nicotine and Tobacco and has presented her research at several national and international conferences.
Last Updated on June 26, 2025.
Departments & Organizations
- All Institutions
- HABIT Lab
- Yale Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science
Education & Training
- PhD
- University at Buffalo, Cancer Science (2022)
Research
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Overview
Public Health Interests
Statistical Computing; Substance Use, Addiction; Clinical Trials; Economics of Health Behaviors; Epidemiology Methods; Behavioral Health
ORCID
0000-0003-0651-171X
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Akshika Sharma's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Akshika Sharma's research output by year.
Krysten Bold, PhD
Stephanie O'Malley, PhD
Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin, PhD
Meghan Morean, PhD
Angela Haeny, PhD
Eugenia Buta, PhD
10Publications
11Citations
Publications
2024
Personal Characteristics Associated With Switching From Cigarettes to Noncombustible Tobacco and Nicotine Products Among U.S. Adults: Findings From PATH Study Waves 1-5.
Sharma A, Kasza KA, O'Connor RJ, Felicione NJ. Personal Characteristics Associated With Switching From Cigarettes to Noncombustible Tobacco and Nicotine Products Among U.S. Adults: Findings From PATH Study Waves 1-5. Nicotine Tob Res 2024, 27: 80-90. PMID: 39001652, DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntae170.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMarketing strategies in business-to-business advertisements for oral nicotine products
Sharma A, Belton A, Ozga J, Ling P, Hrywna M, Ross J, Ganz O, Bold K, Stanton C. Marketing strategies in business-to-business advertisements for oral nicotine products. Tobacco Control 2024, 35: 125-128. PMID: 39613332, PMCID: PMC12116845, DOI: 10.1136/tc-2024-058826.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsBusiness-to-business advertisementsOral nicotine productsTobacco marketing regulationsCompany strategyMarketing communicationsMarketing strategiesMarketing tacticsUS businessesRetailersMarket regulationOnline advertisingMarketAdvertisingBrandNicotine productsBusinessNicotine pouchesProfitSalesConvenienceConsumersIndependent reviewersNicotineStrategiesProduct useUnderstanding Use of E-cigarettes for Smoking Cessation Among a Sample of U.S. Adults
Sharma A, Morean M, Krishnan-Sarin S, O’Malley S, Bold K. Understanding Use of E-cigarettes for Smoking Cessation Among a Sample of U.S. Adults. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2024, 27: 926-931. PMID: 39475073, PMCID: PMC12012231, DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntae251.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsQuit smokingNicotine replacement treatmentSmoking cessation aidE-cigarettesSmoking cessationCessation aidsSmoking cigarettesCessation attemptsSample of US adultsMajority of participantsSmoking cessation attemptsE-cigarette useComponents of e-cigarettesTime of surveyCessation supportUS adultsRegular cigarette smokingSmoking abstinenceRelapse rateNicotine patchSmokingReplacement treatmentNicotine-freeCigarette smokingOnline surveyHow healthcare providers and the right information may play a critical role in quitting success among smokers interested in using e-cigarettes for quitting: Results from a survey of U.S adults
Sharma A, King J, Krishnan-Sarin S, O’Malley S, Morean M, Bold K. How healthcare providers and the right information may play a critical role in quitting success among smokers interested in using e-cigarettes for quitting: Results from a survey of U.S adults. PLOS ONE 2024, 19: e0303245. PMID: 38753868, PMCID: PMC11098412, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303245.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsHealthcare providersQuit smokingE-cigarettesBenefits of e-cigarettesPromote smoking cessationPotential public health benefitsGlobal public health priorityPublic health priorityReduce cigarette smokingIncrease quit ratesSmoking cessation attemptsCessation supportNicotine concentrationsHealth prioritySource of informationQuit ratesUS adultsU.S adultsSmoking cessationQuit successCessation attemptsHealthcareProvidersSmokingCigarette smokingA randomized controlled trial of potential tobacco policies prohibiting menthol flavor in cigarettes and e-cigarettes: a study protocol
Bold K, Sharma A, Haeny A, Gueorguieva R, Buta E, Baldassarri S, Lempert L, Krishnan-Sarin S, O’Malley S. A randomized controlled trial of potential tobacco policies prohibiting menthol flavor in cigarettes and e-cigarettes: a study protocol. BMC Psychiatry 2024, 24: 201. PMID: 38475757, PMCID: PMC10935798, DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05619-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSmoking menthol cigarettesE-cigarettesCigarette useReduce tobacco-related health disparitiesTobacco-related health disparitiesMenthol cigarettesRates of menthol cigarette useTobacco use statusMenthol cigarette useRandomized Controlled TrialsPublic health problemHealth disparitiesTobacco policiesFlavored e-cigarettesSmoke-freeMenthol flavorsMenthol policiesBlack adultsQuit smokingNon-Black participantsSmoking behaviorFollow-up visitHealth problemsSecondary outcomesE-cigarette productsExposure to IQOS ads and reduced exposure claims, and association with perceived risk from COVID-19 on IQOS purchase and use intentions: results from a web-based survey.
Sharma A, Fix B, Hyland A, Bansal-Travers M, Quisenberry A, O'Connor R. Exposure to IQOS ads and reduced exposure claims, and association with perceived risk from COVID-19 on IQOS purchase and use intentions: results from a web-based survey. Front Public Health 2024, 11: 1307484. PMID: 38269390, DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1307484.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Intention to purchase alternative tobacco products as a function of smoking status and responses to advertising, packaging, and sensory experiences.
Sharma A, June KM, Norton KJ, Fix B, Bansal-Travers M, Rees VW, J O'Connor R. Intention to purchase alternative tobacco products as a function of smoking status and responses to advertising, packaging, and sensory experiences. Addictive Behaviors 2022, 130: 107291. PMID: 35220153, PMCID: PMC9376882, DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107291.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchE-cigarette use and change in plans to quit cigarette smoking among adult smokers in the United States: Longitudinal findings from the PATH Study 2014-2019.
Kasza KA, Edwards KC, Anesetti-Rothermel A, Creamer MR, Cummings KM, Niaura RS, Sharma A, Pitts SR, Head SK, Everard CD, Hatsukami DK, Hyland A. E-cigarette use and change in plans to quit cigarette smoking among adult smokers in the United States: Longitudinal findings from the PATH Study 2014-2019. Addictive Behaviors 2022, 124: 107124. PMID: 34598012, PMCID: PMC8511329, DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107124.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
Association of e-Cigarette Use With Discontinuation of Cigarette Smoking Among Adult Smokers Who Were Initially Never Planning to Quit.
Kasza KA, Edwards KC, Kimmel HL, Anesetti-Rothermel A, Cummings KM, Niaura RS, Sharma A, Ellis EM, Jackson R, Blanco C, Silveira ML, Hatsukami DK, Hyland A. Association of e-Cigarette Use With Discontinuation of Cigarette Smoking Among Adult Smokers Who Were Initially Never Planning to Quit. JAMA Network Open 2021, 4: e2140880. PMID: 34962556, PMCID: PMC8715340, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.40880.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Concomitant bilateral bifid mandibular condyle and oligodontia in a non-syndromic patient
Chaudhry, Astha & Sharma, Akshika. (2020). Concomitant bilateral bifid mandibular condyle and oligodontia in a non-syndromic patient. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences. 10.1016/j.jtumed.2020.01.007.Peer-Reviewed Case Reports and Technical Notes
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