Menthol Cigarette Smoking Trends among United States Adults, 2003-2019.
Thursday, August 18, 2022
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
Seaman
EL, Corcy N, Chang JT, et al.
Menthol Cigarette Smoking
Trends among United States Adults, 2003-2019.
[published online ahead of print, 2022 Jul 21]. Cancer Epidemiol
Biomarkers Prev. 2022;EPI-22-0095. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-22-0095
Background. Smoking
is declining, except among current menthol cigarette smokers. This study
examines menthol cigarette smoking in the United States.
Methods. Cross-sectional
data from 35,279 self-respondent current adult smokers who selected menthol
cigarettes as their usual type, across the 2003, 2006-2007, 2010-2011,
2014-2015, and 2018-2019 waves of the nationally-representative Tobacco Use
Supplement to the Current Population Survey, were analyzed in SAS/SUDAAN.
Menthol cigarette smoking among current smokers was assessed by sex, age,
race/ethnicity, employment, geography, and educational attainment. Linear
contrasts were used to assess trends.
Results. Overall
cigarette smoking (12.6% in 2018-2019 from 17.3% in 2003) and menthol cigarette
smoking (4.0% in 2018-2019 from 4.7% in 2003) in the population decreased in
2018-2019 from 2003 (both p<0.001). Using predicted marginals, adjusted by
demographics, menthol smoking among current smokers increased to 33.8% in
2018-2019 from 27.9% in 2003 (p<0.001). Among current smoking adults,
increases in menthol smoking were observed among non-Hispanic Black persons
(76.8% in 2018-2019 from 73.0% in 2003), young adults (37.7% in 2018-2019 from
31.7% in 2003), and females (39.6% in 2018-2019 from 32.1% in 2003).
Conclusions. Smoking
and menthol smoking in the population has decreased, yet menthol smoking among
current smokers increased from 2003 to 2018-2019. Young adult, female, and
non-Hispanic Black current smokers were more likely to use menthol cigarettes
than their counterparts; these differences have persisted.
Impact. Increased
menthol smoking among current smokers, notably young adults, women, and
non-Hispanic Black individuals, highlights the need for targeted tobacco
control interventions for these health disparity populations.
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