Menthol Cigarettes and Smoking Cessation among Adult Smokers in the US.

In this study, we identified differences in cessation, nicotine dependence, and quit attempts between smokers using non-menthol cigarettes and smokers using menthol cigarettes differing in menthol delivery method (eg, menthol in the tobacco only, crushable capsules only or both). We analyzed data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, Waves 1 and 2 (W1 and W2), to determine associations of delivery method of menthol with cessation, nicotine dependence, and quit attempts among current adult cigarette smokers. Nearly 40% of US smokers reported using a mentholated cigarette product with most using a product mentholated in the tobacco only. Smokers included in this analysis had a moderate to low heaviness of smoking index score. The lowest average score was among those using products mentholated in a filter capsule only (1.3, SE = .10), and the highest among those using non-mentholated products (2.4, SE = .03). About 12% of smokers quit between W1 and W2. Cessation, nicotine dependence, and quit attempts at W2 were not associated with delivery method of menthol at W1. Method of menthol delivery did not impact cessation, nicotine dependence, and quit attempts.