Effects of Mint, Menthol, and Tobacco-flavored E-cigarettes on Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms in Adults Who Smoke Menthol Cigarettes: A Laboratory Pilot Study

Overview

Journal Drug Alcohol Depend

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2024 Feb 15

PMID 38359606

Authors

Mariel S Bello

Alison R Schulte

Colin R Ring

Junhan Cho

Jessica L Barrington-Trimis

Raina D Pang

Nancy C Jao

Suzanne M Colby

Rachel N Cassidy

Adam M Leventhal

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Menthol cigarette smoking has remained stable or increased in certain groups, despite an overall decline in cigarette smoking rates in the U.S. Understanding whether e-cigarettes alter patterns of menthol cigarette use is critical to informing efforts for reducing the public health burden of menthol cigarette smoking. This 2019-2020 laboratory pilot study evaluated whether self-administration of mint-, menthol-, or tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes would differentially impact tobacco withdrawal symptoms in e-cigarette-naïve adults who smoke menthol cigarettes daily.

Methods: Participants (N=17; 35.3% Female; mean age=51.8) attended three laboratory sessions after 16-hours of tobacco abstinence. Participants self-administered a study-provided JUUL e-cigarette (0.7mL with 5% nicotine by weight) at each session in which flavor was manipulated (mint vs. menthol vs. tobacco; order randomized). Participants completed pre- and post-e-cigarette administration self-report assessments on smoking urges, nicotine withdrawal, and positive and negative affect states. Multilevel linear regression models tested differences between the three flavor conditions for individual study outcomes.

Results: Following overnight tobacco abstinence, vaping either a mint or menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarette led to significantly greater reductions in smoking urges over time; menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes also suppressed urges to smoke for pleasure. Notably, no differences in nicotine withdrawal, positive affect, or negative affect were observed.

Conclusions: In this laboratory pilot study, mint and menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes provided some negative reinforcement effects via acute reductions in smoking urges during tobacco abstinence, yet only menthol flavored e-cigarettes demonstrated suppressive effects on smoking urges for pleasure in adults who smoke menthol cigarettes daily.

Citing Articles

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Erinoso O, Osibogun O, Li W, Ebrahimi Kalan M Addict Behav. 2024; 157:108097.

PMID: 38943930 PMC: 11288060. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108097.

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