title: Relationship between menthol cigarettes and smoking cessation among African American light smokers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether African American light smokers who smoked menthol cigarettes had lower cessation when treated with nicotine replacement therapy and counseling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were derived from a clinical trial that assessed the efficacy of 2 mg nicotine gum (versus placebo) and counseling (motivational interviewing counseling versus Health Education) for smoking cessation among African American light smokers (smoked < or = 10 cigarettes per day).
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 755 African American light smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome variable was verified 7-day point-prevalence smoking cessation at 26 weeks follow-up. Verification was by salivary cotinine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to non-menthol smokers, menthol smokers were younger and less confident to quit smoking (P = 0.023). At 26 weeks post-randomization, 7-day verified abstinence rate was significantly lower for menthol smokers (11.2% versus 18.8% for non-menthol, P = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among African American light smokers, use of menthol cigarettes is associated with lower smoking cessation rates. Because the majority of African American smokers use menthol cigarettes, a better understanding of the mechanism for this lower quit rate is needed.
authors.affiliation: Program in Health Disparities Research, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. kokuyemi@umn.edu
authors.forename: Kolawole S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Okuyemi
authors.forename: Babalola
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Faseru
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sanderson Cox
authors.forename: Carrie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bronars
authors.forename: Jasjit S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ahluwalia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008610:Menthol; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D008610:Menthol