Relationship between menthol cigarettes and smoking cessation among African American light smokers.
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.
Okuyemi
Kolawole S
KS
Program in Health Disparities Research, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. kokuyemi@umn.edu
Faseru
Babalola
B
Sanderson Cox
Lisa
L
Bronars
Carrie A
CA
Ahluwalia
Jasjit S
JS
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*
D008610:Menthol