About

Jasjit Singh Ahluwalia is a physician and population health/public health scientist with a career spanning since 1992 in academic medicine. He holds the titles of Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Professor of Medicine at Brown University. His research interests include minority health, health disparities, social determinants of health, addiction, and cancer prevention. His primary research has focused on nicotine addiction and smoking cessation among African-American smokers, with extensions into harm reduction using e-cigarettes among Latinx and African American tobacco users. Ahluwalia has also engaged in global health research projects in Spain, Mumbai, and New Delhi, India. Throughout his career, he has secured significant extramural funding, authored over 400 manuscripts, and held leadership roles including department chair, associate dean, and center director. He has served on various NIH study sections and advisory councils, and has received numerous awards for his contributions to mentoring, minority health, and tobacco research. His educational background includes an MD and MPH from Tulane University, a combined MD/MPH, and an MS in health policy from Harvard. He has held faculty positions at Emory University, University of Kansas, University of Minnesota, and Rutgers before joining Brown University, where he continues to focus on research, mentoring, and teaching.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Surgery
• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Environmental health
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Nursing
• Anesthesia
• Genetics
• Family medicine
• Demography
• Biology
• Traditional medicine
• Gender studies
• Botany

Selected publications

• Alcohol’s Effect on Alzheimers: An Analysis of Alcohol as a Modifiable Risk Factor

  2025-10-12

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  This review explores the negative effects of alcohol consumption, with a specific focus on Alzheimer's disease and neural health.Excessive alcohol intake has been associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.One proposed mechanism involves microglia, the brain's immune cells responsible for clearing amyloid-beta (A) plaques.Chronic alcohol exposure may impair microglial function, leading to an accumulation of these plaques.In particular, an imbalance between the A42 and A40 isoforms -with A42 being more prone to aggregation -contributes to neurotoxicity and plaque formation.Additionally, alcohol-induced inflammation can lead to the overproduction of cytokines.While cytokines are typically involved in cell repair, excessive levels can result in neuronal damage.In some cases, pro-inflammatory cytokines may disrupt neuronal membranes, further exacerbating neurodegeneration. An Introduction to Alzheimers:Alcohol plays an important role in getting dementia, as heavy drinkers were 8% more likely to develop Alzheimer's, and those who reduced their drinking from heavy to moderate saw a 12 percent decreased risk in Alzheimers. 1 In Alzheimers, neuron loss is a key symptom noticed in Alzheimer's patients.This neuron loss is due to the hyper-activation of the microglia which control a protein known as amyloid-beta.Due to the microglia's inability to remove the amyloid-beta proteins in an inebriated state, there leads to a higher ratio of amyloid-beta in the brain, and a lower ratio in the bloodstream, thus leading to cell loss. 2 This paper covers how neuron loss due to alcohol could lead to symptoms present in Alzheimers.State your research question/methodology: This 2

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• Dimensions and domains to assess secondhand tobacco smoke exposure: insights from a Delphi study

  Gaceta Sanitaria · 2025-01-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  To identify the dimensions and domains to be included in questionnaires when assessing self-reported secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure in etiological studies and in population health surveys. A qualitative study was conducted in two stages. In stage one, based on a Delphi methodology, 16 experts in tobacco epidemiology completed two questionnaires and attended a group session. In stage two, triangulation interviews were conducted with six experts from the Delphi study to provided in-depth reflection on the domains identified in stage one. The recorded transcriptions were analyzed using a thematic approach. The experts discussed the importance of assessing SHS exposure in specific scenarios, highlighting the home, workplace, leisure venues, and private transport. They discussed the importance of asking about cohabiting with smokers when assessing exposure at home. The experts stressed the importance of differentiating between leisure venues, by prioritizing closed over open spaces. In population-based health surveys, the experts recommended that the recall time should be recent, referring to the last seven days. In etiological studies, they suggested that lifetime exposures should be explored. This study marks the first step toward identifying the dimensions and domains for assessing self-reported SHS exposure. Question standardization when ascertaining SHS exposure is critical to permit cross study comparisons and to analyze trends in the evolution of SHS exposure. Identificar las dimensiones y los dominios que deben incluirse en los cuestionarios para evaluar la exposición al humo ambiental de tabaco (HAT) autodeclarada en estudios etiológicos y en encuestas de salud poblacionales. Se realizó un estudio cualitativo en dos etapas. En la primera, basada en un estudio Delphi, 16 expertos en epidemiología del tabaquismo completaron dos cuestionarios y participaron en una sesión grupal. En la segunda, se realizaron entrevistas triangulares con seis expertos del estudio Delphi para una reflexión más profunda sobre los dominios identificados en la primera etapa. Las transcripciones grabadas se analizaron utilizando un enfoque temático. Los expertos discutieron la importancia de evaluar la exposición al HAT en escenarios específicos, destacando el hogar, el lugar de trabajo, los lugares de ocio y el transporte privado. Además, consideraron la inclusión de preguntas sobre la convivencia con fumadores al evaluar la exposición en el hogar. Los expertos enfatizaron la importancia de diferenciar entre espacios de ocio, priorizando los cerrados sobre los abiertos. Para encuestas de salud poblacionales recomendaron que el tiempo de recuerdo fuera reciente, refiriéndose a los últimos 7 días. Para estudios etiológicos sugirieron explorar las exposiciones a lo largo de la vida. Este estudio representa un primer paso para identificar las dimensiones y los dominios en la evaluación de la exposición al HAT autodeclarada. La estandarización de las preguntas es clave para facilitar la comparación entre estudios y analizar las tendencias en la evolución de la exposición al HAT.

  PublisherDOI

• Change in Cigarette, Other Tobacco Product, and Cannabis Use Among Individuals Who Used or Did Not Use Cannabis During a Smoking Cessation Trial

  Nicotine & Tobacco Research · 2025-02-20

  articleOpen access

  INTRODUCTION: As many as 40% of adults who smoke (AWS) use cannabis, yet little is known about how cigarette-cannabis (CIG-CAN) use impacts change in cigarette and other tobacco product (OTP) use during a quit attempt. METHODS: Secondary data analysis of a smoking cessation randomized clinical trial (RCT) that enrolled 392 Black adults who wanted to quit cigarettes and were provided 18 weeks of standard or adapted pharmacotherapy. Participants self-reported cigarettes, cannabis, and OTP at W0, 2, 6, 12, 18, and 26. Longitudinal modeling of group, time, and group by time effects compared change in cigarettes, cannabis, and OTP between those who did and did not use cannabis. RESULTS: Nearly half (47.2%,185/392) were CIG-CAN users. Cannabis types were joints (78.4%) and blunts (51.9%). Significant reduction in CPD over time (p = .02) did not differ by group (p = .18). OTP had significant group, group by time interaction and time effect (p < .001), however, OTP use is small and had minimal effect on consumption. CIG-CAN increased cannabis use through week 26 (p < .001). When CPD decreased, there was a compensatory effect on OTP (< .0001), but not cannabis (p = .37). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of cannabis use was high among Black adults attempting to quit cigarette smoking in an RCT. OTP use was minimal, but CIG-CAN maintained higher OTP and increased consumption of cannabis while having similar reductions in CPD. Findings require replication in a prospectively designed study but suggest a pattern of compensation, primarily with cannabis, among CIG-CAN that may limit potential health benefit of cigarette reduction and could compromise future attempts at cessation.Trial registration: NCT03897439.

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• Characteristics of Black Adults Who Never Achieved 24-Hours of Abstinence in a Smoking Cessation Trial: Implications for Improving Treatment Response

  Nicotine & Tobacco Research · 2025-07-22

  articleOpen access

  INTRODUCTION: Maximizing early treatment response is an important strategy for long-term abstinence, yet little is known about individuals who never achieve any period of abstinence. Improving early treatment response is critical for Black adults who smoke (AWS) who bear a disproportionate share of tobacco-related mortality. METHODS: Secondary data analysis of a randomized clinical trial among Black AWS (N = 392) interested in quitting smoking. Participants received 18 weeks of pharmacotherapy and smoking cessation counseling. This investigation quantified the proportion of participants who never achieved 24-hour abstinence through week 2 (W2). Best subsets logistic regression identified baseline and non-baseline factors contributing to never achieving 24-hour abstinence. RESULTS: 135 participants (36.2%) did not achieve 24-hour abstinence by W2 despite good adherence with nicotine patch (73.9% had > 80% compliance). Of those, 56.4% and 47.8% still did not achieve 24-hour abstinence at W6 and W12, respectively. Baseline financial strain, higher baseline cotinine and smoking more CPD at W2 increased odds of never achieving 24-hour abstinence while greater cessation self-efficacy and more positive beliefs about study medication at W2 decreased odds of never achieving 24-hours abstinence. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of individuals who were motivated to quit smoking and received gold-standard treatment (i.e., pharmacotherapy and counseling) never achieved a period of 24 hours of abstinence. Findings highlight financial strain, nicotine dependence, early self-efficacy challenges, and medication experience as targets for improving abstinence among those at high risk for early treatment failure. By characterizing a subset within a larger population at-risk of continued smoking, the study presents opportunities to consider contributors to treatment success. IMPLICATIONS: Individuals who do not experience success with quitting early in treatment rarely go on to achieve long-term abstinence, yet the majority of interventions fail to address challenges among this high-risk subgroup. Findings suggest a need for interventions that consider the psychological impact of unmet social needs associated with financial strain, address low cessation self-efficacy, and early experiences with smoking cessation pharmacotherapy as approaches for bolstering treatment efficacy. Two possible evidence-based interventions for addressing these factors are discussed.

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• Developing a sentinel network for illicit substance use monitoring in Spain: a qualitative approach to key determinants

  Current Opinion in Psychiatry · 2025-05-16 · 3 citations

  review

  PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Sentinel surveillance networks have been developed in different countries to monitor changes in patterns of addiction. The aim of this study was to ascertain fundamental aspects required for the design and implementation of a sentinel network for the surveillance of illicit drugs use in Spain. RECENT FINDINGS: Internationally, sentinel networks vary in organization, collaboration, and informants. Some rely on hospital emergency departments, such as Euro-DEN Plus and SISVEA; others include community pharmacists (Addictovigilance, Catalan Sentinel Pharmacies) or drug users themselves (IDRS, EDRS). Networks like N-DEWS and CCENDU combine real-time community data with epidemiological analysis. The challenges identified in the literature include the inclusion of drug users as informants due to reliability concerns, inconsistencies in data collection across health services, and professional fatigue. While focused on Spain, these findings may also be relevant for other countries with comparable public health challenges. SUMMARY: This qualitative study, based on focus groups with key informants, offers recommendations for the creation of a multidisciplinary, flexible sentinel network adapted to the Spanish context. Integration of professionals from diverse sectors, training in toxicology and digital tools, and mechanisms for feedback and motivation are critical. These insights can support clinical early detection, improve alert dissemination, and serve as a foundation for future research on surveillance systems for substance use.

  PublisherDOI

• Switching from Cigarettes to E-Cigarettes and Oral Nicotine Pouches in Adults with Low-Income Who Smoke: Qualitative Findings from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

  Nicotine & Tobacco Research · 2025-11-25 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  INTRODUCTION: Adults with low-income (LI) are more likely to smoke. Alternative Nicotine Delivery Systems (ANDS) like electronic cigarettes (EC) and oral nicotine pouches (ONP) are less harmful options that may help reduce the use, and ultimately risk, of combustible cigarettes (CC). This study examined facilitators and barriers to switching from CC to either EC or ONP among LI adults who smoked daily, enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Thematic analysis of semi-structured one-on-one interviews with experimental group participants (n = 26) was implemented to identify themes related to the facilitators and barriers to switching from CC to EC or ONP. RESULTS: Facilitators of switching to EC and ONP were the convenience of using these products in public and private spaces, their effectiveness at satisfying cravings for nicotine, and the perceived belief that ANDS are less harmful than CC. Barriers to switching to ANDS included delayed nicotine delivery, preferring the sensory experience of smoking to ANDS, and limited knowledge and misconceptions about ONP compared to EC. CONCLUSION: Participants indicated that both EC and ONP helped them cut down on CC use due to their convenience and ability to satisfy nicotine cravings. However, while participants believed that ANDS are less harmful than CC, more information is needed, specifically on the safety of ONP. IMPLICATIONS: This study presents compelling evidence that ANDS products are acceptable among LI populations who smoke, suggesting they could be used for reducing health disparities and mortality. However, public health education and messaging regarding ONP may be needed to facilitate switching.

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• Rethinking E-Cigarette Flavor Policy: Can We Reduce Harm for Adults Without Inviting Youth Use?

  Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs · 2025-05-15

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• O.J. Simpson’s Case: Evident Racism Within the Legal System

  2025-12-07

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Funding and Defunding of NIH Research Should Be Based on Real Science and Not Politics or Amorphous Constructs

  American Journal of Public Health · 2025-10-09 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Bridging the Gap: Managing Hypertension in Indian Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

  Journal of the Association of Physicians of India · 2025-05-01 · 2 citations

  article

  Hypertension (HTN) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are highly prevalent conditions that significantly elevate the risk of cardiovascular (CV) diseases and mortality. The high burden of it in India and the lack of standardized management guidelines for the coexistent conditions exhibit the need for this consensus article. In this article, a modified Delphi approach was used to develop consensus statements. This comprehensive guide establishes a basis for future guidelines, policies, training, and education in management of HTN in MetS. By synthesizing current evidence and expert opinion, these consensus guidelines aim to standardize the management of HTN and MetS, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing the global burden of these conditions.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R01CA085930

  NIH · $2.2M · 2005

• NIH Grant R01CA091912

  NIH · $5.6M · 2012

• Administrative Core

  NIH · $34.9M · 2019–2029

• NIH Grant R01CA077856

  NIH · $1.9M · 2002

• NIH Grant P60MD003422

  NIH · $13.2M · 2016

Frequent coauthors

• Nicole L. Nollen

  The University of Kansas Cancer Center

  227 shared

• Matthew S. Mayo

  The University of Kansas Cancer Center

  143 shared

• Kolawole S. Okuyemi

  University of Utah

  121 shared

• Rachel F. Tyndale

  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

  106 shared

• Janet L. Thomas

  University of Colorado Denver

  105 shared

• Lisa Sanderson Cox

  University of Kansas Medical Center

  104 shared

• Neal L. Benowitz

  89 shared

• Won S. Choi

  Rural Development Administration

  77 shared

Education

• M.D.

  Tulane University

  1987

• Other

  Tulane University

  1987

Awards & honors

• Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) Health Equity Lifetime…
• Appointed by the Secretary of DHSS to the Interagency Commit…
• Inducted as a Fellow, Society for Research on Nicotine and T…
• Joined the Board of Directors of the Society for Research on…
• APTR (Association for Prevention Teaching and Research) Dunc…