title: Quit attempts and quit rates among menthol and nonmenthol smokers in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared quit attempts and quit rates among menthol and nonmenthol cigarette smokers in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the 2003 and 2006-2007 waves of the large, nationally representative Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey with control for state-level tobacco control spending, prices, and smoke-free air laws. We estimated mean prevalence, quit rates, and multivariate logistic regression equations by using self-respondent weights for menthol and nonmenthol smokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2003 and 2007, 70% of smokers smoked nonmenthol cigarettes, 26% smoked menthol cigarettes, and 4% had no preference. Quit attempts were 4.3% higher in 2003 and 8.8% higher in 2007 among menthol than nonmenthol smokers. The likelihood of quitting was 3.5% lower for quitting in the past year and 6% lower for quitting in the past 5 years in menthol compared with nonmenthol smokers. Quit success in the past 5 years was further eroded among menthol-smoking Blacks and young adults.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Menthol smokers are more likely to make quit attempts, but are less successful at staying quit. The creation of menthol preference through marketing may reduce quit success.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA. dlevy@ubalt.edu
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blackman
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tauras
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Chaloupka
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Villanti
authors.forename: Raymond S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Niaura
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Vallone
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Abrams
mesh_terms: D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008610:Menthol; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D008610:Menthol