Menthol smoking, smoke-free policies, and cessation services

Aims: This study examined whether menthol smoking is related to exposure to smoke-free home and workplace policies, availability of cessation services at work, and knowledge of cessation resources among current smokers.

Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2003 and 2006/7 Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS) to the Current Population Survey (CPS). Logistic regression with balanced replicated weights was used to determine if menthol smoking predicted smoke-free policies and cessation services availability or knowledge among current smokers.

Results: Menthol cigarette smoking was a risk factor for being less protected by home and workplace smoke-free policies for current smokers with an indoor job. However, when the analysis was limited to low-income smokers with indoor jobs, the effect of menthol smoking was no longer significant. Similarly, among all current smokers regardless of job status, those who used menthol cigarettes were less likely to have a smoke-free home policy, but the effect of menthol cigarette status was not significant when the analysis was limited to low-income smokers. Menthol smoking was not related to availability of cessation services offered at work or knowledge of cessation services.

Conclusions: This study suggests that menthol smoking is a risk factor for lack of policy protection from SHS exposure. However, when the low income subgroup is considered alone, menthol smoking does not provide additional risk of lack of protection. The calls on policymakers and tobacco control professionals to monitor tobacco control efforts to ensure that policies and interventions reach all menthol smokers.