Correlates of current menthol cigarette and flavored other tobacco product use among U.S. young adults.
Flavored and menthol tobacco products are particularly appealing to young adults. However, little is known about factors associated with their use in this population.



To examine characteristics associated with using menthol cigarettes, flavored other tobacco products (OTP), and flavored e-cigarettes among young adults.



Using a nationally representative online sample of young adults (n=4239) from the Truth Initiative Young Adult Cohort Study, mutually exclusive groups were created from the subset of current tobacco users (N=1037) for users of menthol cigarettes (N=311; 30%), non-menthol cigarettes (N=426; 41%), flavored OTP only users (N=114; 11%), and non-flavored OTP only users (N=186; 18%) to examine factors of being in any one group. Data were collected in July 2012.



In the full multivariable model, significant correlates of current menthol cigarette use were female gender (AOR=2.08), Black race (AOR=5.31), other race (AOR=2.72), Hispanic ethnicity (AOR=2.46) and self-identifying as a smoker, social smoker, or occasional smoker (AOR=10.42). Significant correlates of current flavored OTP use were younger age (18-24; AOR=3.50), self-identifying as a smoker, social smoker, or occasional smoker (AOR=30) and generalized anxiety (AOR=0.30).



This study highlights female gender, Blacks/other race/Hispanics, smokers, social smokers and sexual minorities as correlates of menthol cigarette use and younger age as a predictor of flavored OTP use. Restricting access to flavored tobacco products may be one intervention to help slow the tobacco epidemic, particularly among many of the most vulnerable groups-young women and racial and/or ethnic minorities.
Evaluation Science and Research, Truth Initiative, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Jessica M
JM
Rath
The Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at, Truth Initiative, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Andrea C
AC
Villanti
Evaluation Science and Research, Truth Initiative, Washington, DC, United States.
Valerie F
VF
Williams
Department of Health Behavior, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
Amanda
A
Richardson
The Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at, Truth Initiative, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Jennifer L
JL
Pearson
Evaluation Science and Research, Truth Initiative, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Donna M
DM
Vallone
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000073865:Cigarette Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005421:Flavoring Agents; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008610:Menthol; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D061845:Smoke-Free Policy; D000074604:Smoking Pipes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D005421:Flavoring Agents; D008610:Menthol
Flavored tobacco products; Menthol cigarettes; Young adults