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Once a menthol smoker, always a menthol smoker? Results from The CARDIA longitudinal study, 1985–2011
Methods: Using data from CARDIA, a community-based prospective cohort of young adults at baseline, we analyzed data in 2,028 smokers who provided cigarette brand information. The study assessed at each of its 8 exams if the current cigarette brand smoked was menthol or non-menthol. We plan to also determine if menthol cigarette use predicts quitting and relapse.
Results: A majority of smokers exclusively smoked either menthol or non-menthol cigarettes over the assessed 25 year period; approximately 13% switched types at some point. Among those who switched, 67% switched from a menthol to non-menthol brand while 33% switched from a non-menthol to menthol brand. Among smokers, smoking a menthol brand was highly associated with race (80% of African-Americans always smoked menthol) and education (64% with ≤ high school education always smoked menthol), but not age.
Conclusion: Switching from one type (menthol or non-menthol) of cigarette brand to another was rare among young and middle age adults in this cohort. Better understanding of switching patterns may inform smoking cessation efforts.
Learning Areas:
Basic medical science applied in public healthEpidemiology
Learning Objectives:
Discuss likely scenario if menthol cigarettes are ban in the U.S.
Compare switching from one type of cigarettes (menthol or non-menthol) to another
Assess likelihood of quitting and relapse by type of cigarettes smoked
Keyword(s): Tobacco Use, Public Health Research
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have experience with the subject on menthol cigarette use. I presented at the TPSAC expert panel on the subject in 2010. I have 18 years of experience in tobacco control. I came with the idea for this abstract and we plan to write a manuscript and to submit it to NTR.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.