Greater appeal and greater harm? Young adults' preference for menthol vs non-menthol very low nicotine cigarettes in a cross-over trial.

Introduction: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed rulemaking to reduce cigarette nicotine content and ban menthol in cigarettes. Menthol is popular among young adults who smoke, though it is unclear how this group would respond if both policies were implemented.

Methods: 112 young adults who smoke menthol cigarettes completed three visits that varied by cigarette smoked (2021-2024): usual brand (UB) menthol, menthol very low nicotine cigarette (VLNC; 0.

E-liquid flavor availability significantly affects cigarette and e-liquid purchasing in an experimental marketplace simulating a low nicotine product standard.

Introduction: This study evaluated whether e-liquid nicotine concentration and non-tobacco flavor availability affected very low nicotine content (VLNC) and normal nicotine content (NNC) cigarette purchasing within an online experimental tobacco marketplace (ETM).

Methods: Adults who smoked daily (n = 67) completed four study visits. At each visit, using a pre-allocated balance, participants completed successive ETM shopping trips to purchase a week's worth of cigarettes, e-cigarette e-liquid, and/or nicotine gum.

Racial/ethnic differences in the acute effects of reduced nicotine content cigarettes among adolescents who smoke.

Objective: Reducing the nicotine content in cigarettes decreases their addictiveness and abuse liability, including among adolescents. Whether these effects differ by race/ethnicity is unknown. This study is a secondary analysis of previously published data collected between 2014-2017.

Reduced nicotine in cigarettes in a marketplace with alternative nicotine systems: randomized clinical trial.

Background: Reducing cigarette addictiveness has the potential to avert millions of yearly tobacco-related deaths worldwide. Substantially reducing nicotine in cigarettes decreases cigarette consumption, but no large clinical trial has determined the effects of reduced-nicotine cigarettes when other nicotine-containing products are available. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of reduced-nicotine cigarettes in the context of the availability of alternative nicotine delivery systems.

Differences in Normative Beliefs and Tobacco Product Use by Age Among Adults Who Smoke: Cross-Sectional Analysis of a Nationally Representative Sample.

Background: The prevalence of combusted cigarette (CC) smoking among older adults is stagnant, with 0 declines attributable to e-cigarette (EC) use. Given that normative beliefs are associated with quitting and switching to ECs, we assessed cross-sectional associations between age, CC, and EC descriptive and injunctive norms and potential interactions with tobacco use behavior.

Methods: Data are from people with current, established (≥100 lifetime CCs) CC use (n = 8072) at Wave 5 (2018-2019) of the adult Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study.

Reactions to using other nicotine and tobacco products instead of menthol cigarettes: A qualitative study of people who smoke menthol cigarettes in the United States.

The US Food and Drug Administration is considering banning menthol cigarettes, which could result in some people who smoke menthol cigarettes switching to other tobacco products (OTPs). This qualitative study explored reactions to using OTPs instead of menthol cigarettes. People who smoke menthol cigarettes (N=40) completed a behavioral economic assessment of the effects of menthol cigarette price increases on OTP purchasing.

Older age is associated with greater misperception of the relative health risk of e-cigarettes and cigarettes among US adults who smoke.

Introduction: The prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults aged ≥55 has remained stagnant over the past decade. National data modelling suggests no reduction in cigarette smoking prevalence attributable to e-cigarette use in the USA among people aged ≥45. Misperceptions about the absolute risks (ie, cigarettes are not harmful) and relative risks (ie, e-cigarettes are more harmful than cigarettes) of tobacco products may contribute to sustained smoking prevalence and hesitancy to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes among older adults.

Qualitative reactions to a low nicotine product standard for cigarettes from adolescents and young adults living in the United States who smoke.

The Biden Administration is considering a low nicotine product standard for cigarettes. This qualitative study examined reactions to a nicotine reduction policy among adolescents and young adults (AYA) who smoke cigarettes. After completing a lab study involving masked exposure either to low nicotine or normal nicotine research cigarettes and unmasked exposure to e-cigarettes varying in nicotine concentration and flavor, we conducted follow-up semi-structured interviews (N = 25) to explore participants' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of a low nicotine product standard and their anticipated tobacco use behavior after policy implementation.

Preliminary evidence on cigarette nicotine reduction with concurrent access to an e-cigarette: Manipulating cigarette nicotine content, e-liquid nicotine content, and e-liquid flavor availability.

The reinforcing characteristics of e-cigarettes could moderate the impact of reducing cigarette nicotine content. In this study, people who smoke daily were recruited from North Carolina and Pennsylvania (US) in 2018 and 2019. Within a randomized 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, participants received investigational cigarettes and an e-cigarette for 12 weeks.

Menthol preference moderates the relationship between cigarette nicotine content choice and reactions in young adults who smoke infrequently.

Background: Half of young adults who smoke use menthol cigarettes, which is associated with continued smoking and greater nicotine dependence. Additionally, early subjective reactions to cigarettes predict future use. Menthol may blunt the sensory effects of nicotine.

Cigar Harm Beliefs and Associations with Cigar Use among Young Adults.

Cigar use, including little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs) and large traditional cigars, continues to harm young adults. Research on harm beliefs about cigars, particularly large cigars, is sparse. The current study examined cigar harm beliefs and associations with cigar use.

Effects of very low nicotine content cigarettes on smoking across vulnerable populations.

There has been long-standing interest in a reduced-nicotine product standard for combusted tobacco, which is within the regulatory purview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In weighing whether to establish this standard, it is important to consider potential responses among people who are at elevated risk for tobacco-related health harms. In this narrative review, we summarize studies of very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes conducted between 2010 and 2021 in groups that the FDA has identified as vulnerable populations.

Longitudinal latent class analysis of tobacco use and correlates among young adults over a 10-year period.

Introduction: We assessed patterns and correlates, including demographic characteristics, psychological factors, and social role transitions, of young adults' tobacco use over time.

Methods: In the fall of 2010, we recruited a cohort of 3146 students from 11 colleges in North Carolina and Virginia. Participants completed baseline and at least two survey waves between 2010 and 2019.

Early Changes in Puffing Intensity When Exclusively Using Open-Label Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes.

Introduction: In response to reducing cigarette nicotine content, people who smoke could attempt to compensate by using more cigarettes or by puffing on individual cigarettes with greater intensity. Such behaviors may be especially likely under conditions where normal nicotine content (NNC) cigarettes are not readily accessible. The current within-subject, residential study investigated whether puffing intensity increased with very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarette use, relative to NNC cigarette use, when no other nicotine products were available.

"I think it's a good idea for the people that's young, the kids, but for someone like me it's a bad idea." - Interviews about a U.S. menthol cigarette ban with people who smoke menthol cigarettes.

Objective: The US Food and Drug Administration recently announced its intention to pursue a federal ban on menthol cigarettes. This qualitative study assessed reactions to a potential menthol cigarette ban among people who smoke menthol cigarettes.

Methods: As part of a laboratory study examining menthol flavor regulations, we conducted follow-up interviews with participants who smoke menthol cigarettes (N = 35).

Risk Perceptions of Low Nicotine Cigarettes and Alternative Nicotine Products across Priority Smoking Populations.

Background: As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers a low nicotine product standard for cigarettes, it is important to examine how people who smoke, especially individuals from priority populations disproportionately affected by smoking, perceive low nicotine content (LNC) cigarettes and their relative risk perceptions of alternative nicotine delivery system (ANDS) products, including e-cigarettes and snus, and medicinal nicotine.

Psychometric Analysis of a Microenvironment Secondhand Smoke Exposure Questionnaire.

Background: We conducted a psychometric analysis of an adapted secondhand smoke (SHS) questionnaire by testing the three-component structure of the original scale that measures SHS exposure in home, work and social environments.

Methods: The 15-item questionnaire was administered to 839 daily smokers participating in a multi-site randomized controlled trial. Following parallel analysis, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis specifying a three-factor structure.

"I actually finally feel like the cigarettes aren't controlling me." - Interviews with participants smoking very low nicotine content cigarettes during a residential study.

Background: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a low-nicotine product standard for cigarettes.

Support for a nicotine reduction policy among participants enrolled in a 20-week trial of very low nicotine content cigarettes.

Introduction: The Food and Drug Administration is considering a policy to drastically reduce the allowable nicotine content of cigarettes. The current study examined whether the policy implementation approach, i.e.