Abstract Summary/Description
INTRODUCTION: Menthol cigarettes pose a significant public health threat, as they not only facilitate the initiation of smoking but also decrease cessation efforts. The proposed ban on mentholated cigarettes and cigars carries substantial implications for health equity, as menthol tobacco products are used at disproportionately higher rates among African Americans, a group that has experienced ongoing, severe tobacco-related health disparities. If the menthol ban is enacted, it will be equitable to ensure that individuals who typically use mentholated products do not transition to other harmful tobacco alternatives. METHODS: This study examined the use of various tobacco products among people who smoked primarily menthol cigarettes vs. non-menthol cigarettes. Baseline data was drawn from a randomized controlled trial of 504 adults in Atlanta, GA. Participants were largely male (60.6%) and African American (64.5%) and had to be active smokers with a desire to quit. Chi-square analyses examined associations between current menthol cigarette use and past 30-day use of other tobacco products (cigars, cigarillos, filtered cigars, hookah). RESULTS: Results show that menthol cigarette smokers were significantly more likely to have smoked cigars, cigarillos, or filtered cigars (53.3% vs. 32.0%, p < .001) and hookah (19.2% vs. 3.9%, p = .001) in the past 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that adults who prefer mentholated cigarettes are more likely to use other flavored tobacco products, highlighting the need for an equitable menthol ban across all tobacco products, not just combustible cigarettes.
