Cigarette Smoking Behavior Among Menthol and Nonmenthol Adolescent Smokers

As cigarette rates have decreased, the proportion of menthol cigarette use among youth smokers has increased. Thus, it is important to monitor the menthol-associated behaviors among youth. The present study examined the associations between menthol cigarette use and smoking frequency, intention to continue smoking, and quit intention among youth.

We used data from the 2017 and 2018 National Youth Tobacco Surveys. Separate multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between menthol cigarette use and smoking frequency, intention to continue smoking, and intention to quit.

Across both years, 1,707 youth reported past 30-day cigarette use, 50.7% of whom used menthol cigarettes. Menthol cigarette users had significantly higher odds of smoking at least 10 out of the 30 days before the survey than nonmenthol smokers (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.94). We found similar results in the stratified analysis by grade level. Menthol cigarette smokers in middle (aOR 2.36, 95% CI 1.01-5.49) and high school (aOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.09-1.82) were more likely to have smoked at least 10 out of the 30 days before the survey than nonmenthol smokers. Menthol cigarette users had higher odds of intention to continue smoking (aOR 1.54, 95% CI 1.08-2.19) than nonmenthol cigarette users. Menthol use was not significantly associated with intention to quit.

Compared with nonmenthol cigarette use, menthol cigarette use was associated with smoking more frequently as well as the intention to continue smoking among middle school and high school students.