Perceptions of the Harm of Cigarettes, Mental Health, and Quality of Life Among Transgender Adults Who Smoke Menthol Cigarettes: Results from Wave 5 of the Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals in the United States are at greater risk for combustible tobacco use and mental health problems compared to heterosexual and cisgender individuals. National data comparing associations of menthol cigarette use and mental health among transgender and cisgender individuals in the United States are lacking. The goals of the current study were to (1) characterize transgender and cisgender individuals who smoke menthol cigarettes, and (2) investigate cross-sectional associations between gender identity, harm perceptions of cigarettes, mental health experiences, and quality of life.

Community Voices: A Qualitative Study Exploring Perceptions of Menthol Cigarette Sales Restrictions in Los Angeles County Among Black Adults Who Smoke Menthol Cigarettes.

Introduction: The commercial tobacco industry has long targeted Black communities by making menthol cigarettes not only appealing but affordable through marketing, advertising, and pricing strategies, particularly in the retail environment. Policies that focus on restricting the sale of menthol cigarettes have the potential to significantly reduce the death toll from smoking while also mitigating health inequities and advancing racial equity. However, limited qualitative research exists on the perceptions of menthol cigarette sales restrictions, including local policies, among Black adults who smoke menthol cigarettes.

Commercial Tobacco Retailers Need to Be Included in Research on Policies Restricting the Sale of Menthol Cigarettes.

Introduction: Menthol cigarettes are disproportionately marketed and advertised in the commercial tobacco retail environment in Black communities across the United States, contributing to menthol cigarette-related disparities and lower likelihood of successful quitting among Black people who smoke. Policies restricting retail sales of menthol cigarettes are aimed at preventing initiation, promoting quitting, and reducing related disparities.

Methods: Structured phone interview surveys were conducted from January to July 2021 with commercial tobacco retailers in Los Angeles County, California, unincorporated communities with a high percentage of Black residents, eight months after a local policy restricting retail sales of menthol cigarettes and other flavored nicotine and commercial tobacco products became effective on May 20, 2020.

Motivation to Quit Smoking Among Black Adults Residing in Los Angeles County Communities With Menthol Cigarette Sales Restrictions.

: Research is needed to identify the determinants of motivation to quit smoking among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) adults who smoke menthol cigarettes and reside in communities covered by menthol cigarette bans. : This study examined the associations between motivation to quit smoking and a range of individual-level predictors, including measures of demographics, harm/risk perception of menthol cigarettes, and awareness of a ban on menthol cigarettes in Los Angeles County unincorporated communities. Self-identified NHB adults who currently smoke menthol cigarettes (N=50; M=47.

Hypothetical e-liquid flavor ban and opinions among vape shop retailers in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Introduction: Evaluating anticipated responses to flavor bans in the context of vape shops is needed to inform legislation and enforcement. This cross-sectional study examined vape shop retailers' opinions about the potential impacts of an e-liquid flavor ban on shop sales and customer behavior-change intentions.

Methods: From December 2019 to October 2020 we conducted structured interviews over the phone with 46 brick-and-mortar vape shop retailers in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Sexual orientation differences among men in a randomized clinical trial of extended-release naltrexone and bupropion for methamphetamine use disorder.

Background: Methamphetamine use disorder (MethUD) disproportionately affects men who have sex exclusively with men or with men and women (collectively MSM/W), compared to men who have sex with women (MSW). This study is the first MethUD medication trial to compare treatment effect for these groups, hypothesizing that extended-release injectable naltrexone 380mg every 3 weeks plus oral extended-release bupropion 450mg daily would be less effective for MSM/W than MSW.

Methods: Data come from men (N = 246) in a multi-site, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with sequential parallel comparison design.

Adolescent and Young Adult Response to Hypothetical E-Liquid Flavor Restrictions.

Objective: Rates of e-cigarette use among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) remain high despite several federal policy changes intended to limit their availability and appeal. The current study examined how restricting flavors would affect current AYA users' intentions to discontinue vaping, as a function of their current flavor preference.

Method: In a national cross-sectional survey, AYA e-cigarette users ( = 1,414) completed measures of e-cigarette use, device type, e-liquid flavor (tobacco, menthol, cool mint, fruit ice, fruit/sweet), and intent to discontinue e-cigarette use in response to hypothetical federal product standards (i.

A content analysis of website marketing for cooling flavored e-liquids in a sample of brick-and-mortar vape shops in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Introduction: Menthol is a characterizing flavor in combustible cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). E-liquids are recognized as an important reason for ENDS use. Yet, compared to menthol cigarettes, menthol flavored e-liquids and other cooling flavors, including mint and 'ice' for ENDS, are an understudied area of investigation.

Marketing claims on websites of brick-and-mortar vape shops in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Introduction: Brick-and-mortar vape shops have increased in recent years, but there is limited research on the types of marketing claims consumers are exposed to on their websites - a dominant channel for marketing electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). We investigated the websites of vape shop retailers in the Greater Los Angeles Area to describe their ENDS marketing claims.

Methods: Data collection occurred between 25 March and 20 June 2020.

Trajectories of Nicotine Use Leading to Dual and Cyclical Tobacco Product Use in Young Adults.

Introduction: Young adult never-smokers who vape are at elevated risk of initiating cigarettes, while young adults who smoke often begin vaping to substitute or reduce cigarette use. Reasons underlying different use patterns of tobacco products are not well-understood.

Aims And Methods: We conducted 1-on-1 qualitative interviews with young adults (N = 62) who vape in Los Angeles, California from June 2018 to June 2019.

Retail Marketing of Menthol Cigarettes in Los Angeles, California: a Challenge to Health Equity.

Introduction: Sales of menthol cigarettes continue to increase, accounting for a third of the US cigarette market. Retail marketing of menthol cigarettes is a contributing factor to tobacco-related health disparities. To inform regulation to address associated disparities, we examined retail marketing strategies for menthol cigarettes and their features and characteristics in relation to neighborhood racial/ethnic composition.

Instagram Posts Related to Backwoods Cigarillo Blunts: Content Analysis.

Background: Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms among youth, offers a unique opportunity to examine blunts-partially or fully hollowed-out large cigars, little cigars, and cigarillos that are filled with marijuana. Cigarillo brands like Backwoods (Imperial Tobacco Group Brands LLC) have product features that facilitate blunt making, including a variety of brand-specific flavors that enhance the smoking experience (eg, honey, dark stout). Backwoods has an active online presence with a user-friendly website.

Exploring changes in cigar smoking patterns and motivations to quit cigars among black young adults in the time of COVID-19.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted the Black/African American communities in the U.S. The objective of this study is to understand the change in cigar smoking patterns and motivations to quit cigars during the COVID-19 pandemic among Black young adult cigar smokers.

Perceptions of E-cigarettes and Flavor Restrictions among Tobacco Retailers in Los Angeles.

In this study, we examined tobacco retailers' perceptions of e-cigarettes and associations with in-store availability of e-cigarettes. Retailers (N = 700) in multiple, racial/ethnic neighborhoods (black/African-American, N = 200); Hispanic/Latino, N = 200; white American, N = 200; Korean American, N = 100) in Los Angeles County participated in on-site interviews and store observations. Controlling for individual and racial/ethnic neighborhood factors, retailers in majority-white neighborhoods had significantly higher odds of selling e-cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes than retailers located in Hispanic/Latino (p < .

Characterizing #Backwoods on Instagram: "The Number One Selling All Natural Cigar".

We sought to assess the proportion of Backwoods (Imperial Tobacco Group Brands LLC) cigar-related posts to Instagram that may contain misleading claims, nature-evoking imagery, and appealing flavors. Inclusion criteria for this study included an Instagram post with the hashtag "#backwoods" from 30 August to 12 September 2018. Rules were established to content analyze (n = 1206) posts.