Menthol cigarettes and smoking cessation during an aided quit attempt
Steven S Fu1, Kolawole S Okuyemi, Melissa R Partin
1Physician Research Fellowship Program, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research (a VA HSR&D Center of Excellence), Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA. Steven.Fu@va.gov
Summary
Menthol cigarette smoking did not significantly impact cessation rates in a study of older adults using pharmacotherapy. This finding suggests menthol does not hinder quitting attempts when aided by medication.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Tobacco Control
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Menthol cigarettes are disproportionately used by Black smokers and may increase addiction.
- Previous research on menthol cigarette smoking and cessation has yielded conflicting results.
- Limited studies have explored menthol's impact on cessation within diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between menthol cigarette smoking and smoking cessation.
- To examine menthol's effect on cessation rates in a multi-ethnic sample undergoing pharmacotherapy-aided quit attempts.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of data from a multi-site randomized controlled trial (N=1,343).
- Participants were older smokers (average age 56) attempting to quit with pharmacotherapy.
- The intervention involved patient phone calls and provider prompts; primary outcome was 7-day point prevalence abstinence.
Main Results:
- Overall, 25% of the sample smoked menthol cigarettes, with significant ethnic disparities (19% White, 62% Black, 25% other).
- No significant association was found between menthol cigarette smoking and smoking abstinence rates.
- Ethnicity also did not show a significant effect on cessation outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Menthol cigarette smoking does not appear to decrease smoking cessation success in older adults using pharmacotherapy.
- Findings contribute to the ongoing debate on menthol's role in smoking addiction and cessation.
- Further research may explore menthol's impact across different age groups and cessation support levels.
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