Correlates of current menthol cigarette and flavored other tobacco product use among U.S. young adults

Introduction:
This text summarizes a study examining the factors associated with using menthol cigarettes, non-menthol cigarettes, flavored other tobacco products (OTP), and non-flavored OTPs among a nationally representative sample of young adults. The study aims to identify correlates of menthol and flavored tobacco product use in this population.

Key points:

* The study used a large, nationally representative cohort of young adults (18-34 year olds) recruited through an existing online panel.
* Approximately 25% of the sample reported use of any tobacco product in the past 30 days, and 78% were cigarette only users.
* Being of younger age and female gender were associated with increased likelihood of flavored OTP only use.
* Menthol cigarette users were more likely to be younger, female, Black, and LGBT (versus heterosexual) relative to non-menthol users.
* The association between menthol use and younger age may be due to the industry adjusting the level of menthol in cigarettes to appeal to younger smokers.
* Analyses identified state smoking prevalence as the only policy level variable which contributed to the explanatory power of the model predicting menthol cigarette use.
* Restricting access to flavored tobacco products may be one intervention to slow the tobacco epidemic, including among vulnerable groups like young women and racial and/or ethnic minorities.

Main message:
The study highlights the importance of understanding the factors associated with menthol and flavored tobacco product use among young adults. The findings suggest that restricting access to these products could be an effective intervention to slow the tobacco epidemic, particularly among vulnerable populations such as young women and racial and/or ethnic minorities. The study also emphasizes the need for further research to understand the role of social norms and perceived smoking prevalence as potential influences for promoting a variety of tobacco products.

Rath, Jessica M., Andrea C. Villanti, Valerie F. Williams, Amanda Richardson, Jennifer L. Pearson, and Donna M. Vallone. “Correlates of Current Menthol Cigarette and Flavored Other Tobacco Product Use among U.S. Young Adults.” Addictive Behaviors 62 (November 2016): 35–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.05.021.