Key Takeaways
- FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products and NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse announced that new Wave 8 restricted-use PATH Study files are now available.
- The files contain data collected between January 2024 and December 2024.
- Newly available data include questionnaire data, location characteristics data, and state identifier data.
- The restricted-use files were updated to include tobacco product Universal Product Code data and Ever/Never reference data for all participants, with updated Master Linkage Files.
- Researchers may request access to the new Wave 8 files as well as all currently available Biomarker Restricted-Use Files.
2Firsts, April 17, 2026
According to the announcement, FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products and NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse have made new Wave 8 restricted-use files from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study available.
Wave 8 data cover the full year of 2024
According to the release, the Wave 8 restricted-use files contain data collected between January 2024 and December 2024. The newly available files include questionnaire data, location characteristics data, and state identifier data.
Restricted-use files were updated with product code and reference data
The announcement said the PATH Study Restricted-Use Files have been updated to include tobacco product Universal Product Code data and Ever/Never reference data for all participants, along with updated Master Linkage Files. Researchers are encouraged to submit a request for access.
Researchers may also request other restricted-use files
In addition to the newly released Wave 8 files, researchers may also request access to all currently available Biomarker Restricted-Use Files. Data and documentation from the Public-Use Files are also available for download with updated Master Linkage Files.
PATH Study is a nationally representative longitudinal household study
The PATH Study is described as a household-based, nationally representative, longitudinal study of adults and youth aged 12 to 17 in the United States. The study was launched in 2011 to inform FDA regulatory activities under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.
Questions may be submitted through the designated PATH data contact
The announcement also said that questions about the collection, content, weighting, documentation, or structure of PATH Study data may be submitted through the designated PATH data user email contact.
Image source: FDA
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