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Introduction: Menthol cigarettes have been associated with increased smoking initiation. Although numerous studies have focused on correlates of menthol cigarette smoking among youths, fewer studies have assessed the prevalence and correlates of overall menthol-flavored tobacco product use among middle and high school students., Methods: We analyzed 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey data to estimate the prevalence of menthol-flavored tobacco product use among US middle and high school students who used tobacco products within the past 30 days. Characteristics associated with menthol-flavored tobacco product use were also examined., Results: Use of menthol-flavored tobacco products was reported by 23.8% of students who currently used any tobacco product and by 39.5% of students who currently used any flavored tobacco product. Among students who reported past 30-day use of a flavored tobacco product, characteristics associated with a higher prevalence of menthol-flavored tobacco product use included non-Hispanic White race and ethnicity, frequent tobacco product use, use of multiple tobacco products, wanting to use a tobacco product within the first 30 minutes of awakening, and craving tobacco products within the past 30 days., Conclusion: Unlike results of prior research focused on cigarette smoking among young people, prevalence of use of any menthol-flavored tobacco product was highest among non-Hispanic White youths. Any use of menthol-flavored tobacco products of any type (alone or in combination with other flavors) among young people may be associated with continued product use and symptoms of dependence.

Introduction: Monitoring menthol cigarette use allows for identification of potential health disparities. We examined sociodemographic and temporal differences in menthol cigarette use among US adults who smoke., Methods: We analyzed data from the 1999-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for adults aged 20 years or older who smoke (N = 11,431) using binary logistic regression., Results: Among US adults who smoke, 28.8% used menthol cigarettes. After adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, education, income-to-poverty ratio, and health status, the prevalence of menthol use among adults who smoke increased on average by 3.8% (95% CI, 2.7%-4.9%) annually. Non-Hispanic Black adults had the highest average prevalence of menthol cigarette use, 73.0% (95% CI, 70.9%-75.2%), and Mexican American adults had higher average annual increase in menthol cigarette use, 7.1% (95% CI, 4.0%-10.3%). Adults with fair or poor health status had a 4.3% annual increase in menthol cigarette use (95% CI, 2.5%-6.1%). The adjusted prevalence ratios of menthol cigarette use were 1.61 (95% CI, 1.39-1.83) for adults aged 20-29 years compared with those aged 65 years or older, 1.41 (95% CI, 1.32-1.49) for female adults compared with male adults, and 1.17 (95% CI, 1.07-1.27) for high school graduates or higher compared with those with no high school diploma., Conclusion: Non-Hispanic Black adults who smoke had the highest prevalence of menthol cigarette use among all racial and ethnic groups; the prevalence of menthol cigarette use among adults who smoke increased especially among Mexican American adults, younger adults, and adults who reported fair to poor health status.

Introduction: Increasing quitting among people who smoke cigarettes is the quickest approach to reducing tobacco-related disease and death., Methods: We analyzed data from the 2018-2019 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey for 137,471 adult self-respondents from all 50 US states and the District of Columbia to estimate state-specific prevalence of current tobacco product use, interest in quitting smoking, past-year quit attempts, recent successful cessation (past-year quit lasting ≥6 months), receipt of advice to quit smoking from a medical doctor, and use of cessation medications and/or counseling to quit., Results: Prevalence of current any-tobacco use (use every day or some days) ranged from 10.2% in California to 29.0% in West Virginia. The percentage of adults who currently smoked cigarettes and were interested in quitting ranged from 68.2% in Alabama to 87.5% in Connecticut; made a past-year quit attempt ranged from 44.1% in Tennessee to 62.8% in Rhode Island; reported recent successful cessation ranged from 4.6% in West Virginia and Wisconsin to 10.8% in South Dakota; received advice to quit from a medical doctor ranged from 63.3% in Colorado to 86.9% in Rhode Island; and used medications and/or counseling to quit ranged from 25.5% in Nevada to 50.1% in Massachusetts. Several states with the highest cigarette smoking prevalence reported the lowest prevalence of interest in quitting, quit attempts, receipt of advice to quit, and use of counseling and/or medication, and the highest prevalence of e-cigarette, smokeless tobacco, and cigar use., Conclusion: Adults who smoke struggle with smoking cessation and could benefit from additional intervention.

Introduction: Quitlines are free, accessible evidence-based services that may provide an important resource for people facing barriers to clinical treatment for cessation of tobacco use., Methods: Using 2019 intake data from the National Quitline Data Warehouse, we examined quitline service usage, stratified by sociodemographic characteristics. Only US quitlines reporting service type data were included (n = 40 [of 51]). Callers (aged ≥12 years) who registered with a quitline, reported current use of a tobacco product, and received at least 1 service comprised the analytic data. Chi-square tests examined differences in quitline services received by participant characteristics., Results: In 2019, 182,544 people reporting current use of a tobacco product received at least 1 service from a quitline in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Among them, 80.4% had attained less than a college or university degree and 70.4% were uninsured or enrolled in Medicaid or in Medicare (aged <65 years). By educational attainment (aged ≥25 years), receipt of cessation medications ranged from 59.4% of callers with a college or university degree to 65.0% of callers with a high school diploma (P < .001). The range by insurance coverage was 59.3% of callers with private insurance to 74.7% of callers with Medicare (aged <65 years) (P < .001)., Conclusion: Quitlines served as a resource for low-SES populations in 2019, providing cessation services to many people who may face barriers to clinical cessation treatment. Strengthening and expanding quitlines may help to increase cessation among populations with a disproportionately high prevalence of tobacco product use and improve the health and well-being of people in the US.

Introduction: People who smoke cigarettes are at greater risk of developing chronic diseases and related complications. Our study provides recent estimates and trends in cigarette smoking among people with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and diabetes., Methods: Using data from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey, we calculated the prevalence of current and former cigarette smoking among adults aged 18 to 44 years, 45 to 64 years, and 65 years or older with chronic diseases. Those diseases were cancers associated with smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and/or stroke (N = 3,741). Using data from the 2010-2019 National Health Interview Surveys, we assessed trends in current cigarette smoking by chronic disease by using the National Cancer Institute's Joinpoint Regression Program., Results: In 2019, current cigarette smoking prevalence among adults with chronic diseases associated with smoking ranged from 6.0% among adults aged 65 or older with diabetes to 51.9% among adults aged 18 to 44 years with 2 or more chronic diseases. During 2010 through 2019, a significant decrease occurred in current cigarette smoking among adults aged 45 to 64 years with diabetes., Conclusion: Overall, smoking prevalence remains high and relatively unchanged among people with chronic diseases associated with smoking, even as the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking in the US continues to decrease. The lack of progress in smoking cessation among adults with chronic diseases associated with smoking suggests that access, promotion, and integration of cessation treatment across the continuum of health care (ie, oncology, pulmonology, and cardiology settings) may be important in the success of smoking cessation in this population.