Effects of Mint, Menthol, and Tobacco-Flavored e-Cigarettes on Appeal and Sensory Effects, Tobacco Withdrawal, and the Relative Reinforcing Value of Menthol Cigarettes in Menthol Smokers: A Laboratory Study.

Introduction:
This text provides a summary of a laboratory pilot study examining the effects of mint, menthol, and tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes on tobacco withdrawal symptoms in adults who smoke menthol cigarettes daily. The study aimed to understand whether specific e-cigarette flavors may aid in reducing harm from menthol cigarettes or increase harm by contributing to a greater motivation to smoke non-menthol cigarettes.

Key Points:

* The study was conducted during 2019-2020 with 17 e-cigarette-naïve adults who smoked menthol cigarettes daily.
* Participants attended three experimental sessions, each occurring after 16 hours of tobacco abstinence, and self-administered a study-provided JUUL e-cigarette with a flavor manipulation (mint vs. menthol vs. tobacco).
* The study measured changes in smoking urges, nicotine withdrawal, positive and negative affect states, and tobacco withdrawal symptoms.
* Results indicated that vaping mint or menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes led to significantly greater reductions in smoking urges over time.
* Menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes also suppressed urges to smoke for pleasure.
* No differences in nicotine withdrawal, positive affect, or negative affect were observed.
* The study provides preliminary evidence that mint and menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes may attenuate overall smoking urges for menthol cigarettes over time and reduce distinct facets of smoking urges (i.e., urges to smoke for pleasure).

Main Message:
The study suggests that mint and menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes may have differential effects on specific indices of smoking urges, potentially due to differences in sensorimotor features and non-pharmacological factors. These findings have implications for smoking cessation treatment, tobacco regulatory science, and advancing health equity by illuminating possible mechanisms through which mint, menthol, and tobacco e-cigarette flavors may promote initiation and transition to use of e-cigarettes in menthol cigarette smokers and alter patterns of menthol cigarette smoking by suppressing tobacco withdrawal.

Bello MS. Effects of Mint, Menthol, and Tobacco-Flavored e-Cigarettes on Appeal and Sensory Effects, Tobacco Withdrawal, and the Relative Reinforcing Value of Menthol Cigarettes in Menthol Smokers: A Laboratory Study. Ph.D. University of Southern California; 2022.