HABIT Lab

At the HABIT Lab, we use clinical research to understand tobacco use and health with a goal of reducing tobacco use and tobacco-related harm. The HABIT Lab is led by Dr. Krysten Bold, a Clinical Psychologist who is an expert in tobacco treatment and tobacco regulatory science.

Great progress has been made in reducing tobacco use through education, treatment, and tobacco policy, but tobacco use still remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the US and worldwide. Quitting tobacco use is the single most important thing someone can do for their health today and in the future. However, most people who use tobacco products don't use effective treatments when trying to quit, and there are specific features of products like flavors, that can make it more appealing to start and continue using, and harder to quit. The goal of our research is to study new ways to reduce tobacco use including improving interventions at the individual level and at broader community and policy levels. We use a variety of research methods including clinical trials, mobile technology, and survey and mixed methods research to understand cigarette and e-cigarette use among youth and adults. Dr. Krysten Bold’s research has been widely cited, including in the US Surgeon General's Report on e-cigarette use among youth and young adults, and in the FDA proposed rule prohibiting menthol flavor in cigarettes.