Menthol brand switching among adolescents and young adults in the National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey

Am J Public Health. 2012 Jul;102(7):1310-2. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300632. Epub 2012 May 17.

Abstract

This study examines patterns of menthol and nonmenthol cigarette use from 2003 to 2005 in a cohort of smokers, aged 16 to 24 years in the National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey. At follow-up, 15.0% of baseline menthol smokers had switched to nonmentholated cigarettes; by contrast, 6.9% of baseline nonmenthol smokers had switched to mentholated cigarettes. Differences in switching patterns were evident by gender, race/ethnicity, parental education, and smoking frequency. These data support previous evidence that young smokers start with mentholated cigarettes and progress to nonmentholated cigarettes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Factors
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Menthol
  • Smoking / epidemiology*
  • Smoking Cessation / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Menthol