Smoking Menthol Cigarettes and the Cessation Process across Racial/Ethnic Groups in the U.S

Background: Smoking mentholated cigarettes may affect the smoking cessation process across various racial/ethnic groups but relatively little research has been published.

Methods: A secondary data analysis of the combined 2003 and 2006-07 Tobacco Use Supplements to the Current Population Survey was conducted to examine how smoking cessation is affected by the use of mentholated cigarettes and how this differs across African-American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Non-Hispanic White adults in the U.S.

Results: Smoking mentholated cigarettes was significantly less predictive of being quit for at least 6 months than smoking non-menthols for all racial/ethnic groups except Native Americans/Alaska Natives (African Americans: OR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.17-0.32; Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders: OR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.11-0.45; Hispanics/Latinos: OR=0.48, 95% CI: 0.34-0.69; Native Americans/Alaska Natives: OR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.15-1.78; Non-Hispanic Whites: OR=0.28, 95% CI: 0.25-0.32). African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos who smoked mentholated cigarettes were significantly more likely to think they would have quit smoking in the next 6 months compared to those who smoked non-mentholated cigarettes (African Americans: OR=1.82, 95%CI: 1.56-2.14; Hispanics/Latinos: OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.03-1.43). This was not found among Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, Native Americans/Alaska Natives and Non-Hispanic Whites.

Conclusion: Smoking mentholated cigarettes is significantly less predictive of long-term quitting success than smoking non-mentholated cigarettes and belies the sense of confidence it engenders in future quitting success among African American and Hispanic/Latino smokers.