Smokers' baseline characteristics in the COMMIT trial

Measures of dependence in menthol and nonmenthol smokers - A comprehensive narrative review

Introduction. More than a decade ago, concerns were raised that menthol in cigarettes might enhance addiction to smoking. This article provides a comprehensive review of published studies examining cigarette dependence among menthol and nonmenthol smokers. The purpose of the review is to evaluate the scientific evidence to determine if menthol increases cigarette dependence. Materials and Methods. The published literature was searched in 2019 for studies that provide evidence on cigarette dependence among menthol compared to nonmenthol smokers. Included in this review are published studies that compare menthol and nonmenthol smokers based on widely accepted and validated measures of dependence, or other established predictors of dependence (age of smoking initiation [first cigarette]/age of progression [regular/daily smoking]) and indicators of dependence (smoking frequency, cigarettes smoked per day, time to first cigarette after waking, night waking to smoke, smoking duration). Results and Conclusion. Based on a review of the available studies, including those with adjusted results and large representative samples, reliable and consistent empirical evidence supports a conclusion that menthol smokers are not more dependent than nonmenthol smokers and thus menthol in cigarettes does not increase dependence.

Predictors, indicators, and validated measures of dependence in menthol smokers

This article presents a comprehensive review of the menthol cigarette dependence-related literature and results from an original analysis of the Total Exposure Study (TES), which included 1,100 menthol and 2,400 nonmenthol adult smokers. The substantial scientific evidence available related to age of first cigarette, age of regular use, single-item dependence indicators (smoking frequency, cigarettes per day, time to first cigarette, night waking to smoke), smoking duration, numerous validated and widely accepted measures of nicotine/cigarette dependence, and our analysis of the TES do not support that menthol smokers are more dependent than nonmenthol smokers or that menthol increases dependence.

Effects of nicotine on olfactogustatory incentives: preference, palatability, and operant choice tests

INTRODUCTION

The use of additives in tobacco may capitalize on the incentive motivational properties of tastes and scents such as mint (menthol), vanilla, and strawberry. These incentives are intended to increase tobacco experimentation, but their salience may also be enhanced by the incentive amplifying effects of nicotine (NIC). The goal of the present studies was to investigate the potential interaction between the incentive amplifying effects of NIC and gustatory incentives.

METHODS

One of two discriminable tastes (grape or cherry Kool-Aid®; 0.05% wt/vol; unsweetened) was paired with sucrose (20% wt/vol; conditioned stimulus [CS+]) in deionized water, whereas the other taste (CS-) was presented in deionized water. Experiment 1 investigated the effects of NIC pretreatment on preference for the CS+ versus CS- in 2-bottle choice tests. Experiment 2 investigated the effects of NIC on palatability of the CS+ and CS- using orofacial taste reactions. Experiment 3 investigated the effects of NIC on reinforcement by the CS+ and CS- using a concurrent choice operant task.

RESULTS

NIC pretreatment robustly increased operant responding for the CS+ but did not alter responding for the CS- in the operant choice task (Experiment 3). However, NIC pretreatment did not alter intake or palatability of the CS+ or CS- (Experiments 1 and 2).

CONCLUSIONS

NIC increases the reinforcing effects of gustatory incentive stimuli, even though these stimuli were not paired with NIC administration. The findings suggest that adding taste incentives to tobacco products may increase the attractiveness of these products to consumers and the probability of repeated use.

Epidemiology of menthol cigarette use in the United States

Background

Approximately one-fourth of all cigarettes sold in the United States have the descriptor “menthol” on the cigarette pack. It is important to determine what socio-demographic factors are associated with smoking menthol cigarettes if indeed these types of cigarettes are related to smoking initiation, higher exposure to smoke constituents, nicotine dependence, or reduced smoking cessation.

Methods

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) conducted a review of the scientific literature on this topic which we completed by adding more recently published articles via PubMed. We also conducted further data analyses using the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the National Youth Tobacco Survey, the Monitoring the Future Survey, and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to provide up-to-date information on this topic.

Results

Menthol cigarettes are disproportionately smoked by adolescents, blacks/African Americans, adult females, those living in the Northeast of the United States and those with family incomes lower than $50,000. Based on self-reports of menthol cigarette use, menthol cigarette use among smokers have increased from 2004 to 2008. However, no increase was observed during these years for predominantly menthol brands like Newport™, Kool,™ and Salem™, however, this lack of significant trend may be due, at least in part, due to smaller numbers of smokers of specific brands or sub-brands, which provide estimates which are less precise.

Conclusion

Menthol cigarettes are disproportionately smoked by groups of U.S. cigarette smokers. It is likely that other disparities in menthol cigarette use exist that we have not covered or have not been studied yet.

Menthol and initiation of cigarette smoking

The use of tobacco products would not continue without the initiation of their use by youth and adults. Since the vast majority of cigarette smokers begin smoking by age 25, understanding the role of menthol cigarettes in the initiation of smoking in youth (under the age of 18) and young adults (aged 18–25) is especially relevant. Data demonstrate that menthol cigarettes are disproportionately used by youth and young adults. This review seeks to examine what role, if any, menthol plays in the initiation of cigarette smoking. Overall, there is a paucity of data on this topic. The data that do exist suggests that youth who have smoked for less than 1 year are more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes than youth who have smoked for more than 1 year. A lack of data prevents further conclusions on the role of menthol cigarettes in the initiation of smoking.

Looking under the Hispanic umbrella: cancer mortality among Cubans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics in Florida

Cancer is the second leading cause of death among Hispanics. Most of the cancer statistics available both at the state and national levels report cancer statistics for all Hispanics as an aggregate group. The goal of this paper is to provide a population-based overview of cancer mortality among Hispanics (Cubans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics) in Florida from 1990 to 2000 and to explore the demographic diversity of this growing ethnic group. The study population consisted of Hispanics and White non-Hispanics who died from cancer. Cancer mortality rates and proportion of cancer deaths by type and age at death for the selected racial/ethnic groups were calculated. Our findings indicate that the cancer death rates of the Hispanic subgroups compared favorably with those of White non-Hispanics and that cancer rates often presented for all Hispanics mask important differences between the different ethnic subgroups that fall under the Hispanic umbrella.

Are menthol cigarettes a starter product for youth?

This study assessed the relationship between menthol use and nicotine dependence. Data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey indicated that menthol cigarette use was significantly more common among newer, younger smokers. Additionally, youth who smoked menthol cigarettes had significantly higher scores on a scale of nicotine dependence compared with nonmenthol smokers, controlling for demographic background and the length, frequency, and level of smoking. The study suggests that menthol cigarettes are a starter product that may be associated with smoking uptake by youth.

Exploring the association of John Henry active coping and education on smoking behavior and nicotine dependence among Blacks in the USA

Although smoking is used as a coping tool in response to stress and Blacks have been found to report smoking more in response to stress than Whites, little research exists that has examined ethno-culturally specific constructs of stress and coping as they relate to smoking behavior and nicotine dependence among Blacks in the USA. This study explored the association between the ethno-culturally interactively defined construct of John Henryism, as well as the individual contributions of John Henry active coping and education on smoking behavior and nicotine dependence in a relatively urban-Midwestern Black population. Self-identified Black patients (n = 146) who had previously received a clinical intervention for nicotine dependence were followed to assess smoking status and John Henry active coping. Results revealed that patients with low levels of education who had low levels of John Henry active coping reported higher nicotine dependence scores than any other education by John Henry active coping group. Furthermore, low levels of John Henry active coping were associated with the use of menthol cigarettes and lower-educational level was associated with smoking greater than 20 cigarettes per day. Further community-based studies examining this construct among Black smokers in various socio-cultural contexts are needed to clarify the association between John Henry active coping and socioeconomic status on smoking behavior and nicotine dependence among Blacks.

Maximizing qualitative responses about smoking in structured interviews

This article addresses the important methodological issue of whether face-to-face or self-administered interviews elicit better qualitative data on reasons for smoking and quitting among 173 current and former smokers. The data are from a study of smoking behaviors among 601 African American and Latina women age 14 to 21 years recruited from family planning clinics in Los Angeles from 1995 to 1996. Results suggest that responses to closed questions about smoking behavior are similar in both methods but that self-administered surveys elicit more responses to open-ended questions than face-to-face interviews. The authors encourage the use of self-administered surveys in smoking research because they are cheaper to administer, yield similar data on closed-question items, and elicit richer and more provocative responses to open-ended questions.

Lung cancer risk and workplace exposures in black men and women

There are little data on workplace exposures and lung cancer risk in blacks. An ongoing case-control study of lung cancer that included 550 black men and women with lung cancer and 386 age-matched controls was examined by reported occupational exposures and job titles. In men, significant associations were observed with reported exposure to asbestos [odds ratio (OR), 1.8; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.03-3.1] and coal dust (OR, 2.8; 95% CI 1.1-7.0). Elevated but nonsignificant risks of 1.4 or more were detected for the following occupations: police/security guards, farmers/farm workers, laborers, and motor-vehicle drivers. In women, nonsignificant increased risks were found with reported exposure to paint (OR, 1.8) and gas fumes (OR, 4.9). Women employed as farmers/farm workers and building maintenance workers had elevated but nonsignificant risks.

Ethnicity and antipsychotic response

OBJECTIVE

To review the data generated by studies examining interethnic/racial differences in response to antipsychotics.

DATA SOURCES

A MEDLINE search (1966-1996) identified all articles examining differences in antipsychotic response among Caucasians, Asians, Hispanics, and African-Americans, as well as articles evaluating postulated mechanisms for these differences.

STUDY SELECTION

All abstracts, studies, and review articles were evaluated.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Ethnic/racial differences in response to antipsychotic medications have been reported and may be due to genetics, kinetic variations, dietary or environmental factors, or variations in the prescribing practices of clinicians. Studies suggest that Asians may respond to lower doses of antipsychotics due to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences. Research relevant to African-Americans is limited, but some studies suggest that differences in this group may be due to clinician biases and prescribing practices, rather than to pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic variability.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research directed at validating the hypotheses that different ethnic/racial groups show variations in response to antipsychotics should focus on homogeneous ethnic groups, use recent advances in pharmacogenetic testing, and control for such variables as observer bias, gender, disease chronicity, dietary and environmental factors, and exposure to enzyme-inducing and -inhibiting agents. Clinicians should be aware that potential interethnic/racial differences in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics may exist that can alter response to antipsychotics.