Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2020 Oct 8;22(10):1718-1725. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa079.
It has been suggested that menthol increases exposure to harmful elements of smoking and makes smoking more rewarding, easier to initiate, and harder to quit. Isolating the direct effects of menthol is challenging as African American (AA) race and menthol preference are highly overlapping. This study evaluated smoking behavior and subjective responses among a balanced sample of AA and white menthol and non-menthol smokers. In addition, smoking topography (ST) was compared to naturalistic smoking (NS) and interactions with menthol and race were explored.
Smokers (N = 100) smoked and rated their preferred brand of cigarettes via ST or NS during two laboratory visits (counterbalanced).
Controlling for baseline differences among the groups (eg, nicotine dependence), menthol smokers took shorter and smaller puffs and AA smokers took longer puffs, but there were no differences in total puff volume, carbon monoxide, or other ST parameters. Menthol smokers reported greater urge reduction and lower sensory stimulation. The smoking method (ST vs. NS) had no effects on smoking behavior or exposure. Cigarettes smoked via ST were rated stronger. Differences in satisfaction based on the smoking method interacted with race and menthol status. Ratings of aversion differed by race and menthol status.
Menthol was not associated with increased smoke exposure or reward (except for urge reduction). ST caused minimal experimental reactivity relative to NS. Additional research that isolates the effects of menthol and examines potential interactive effects with race and other variables is needed to better understand its role in smoking-related health disparities.
Menthol and non-menthol smokers differed on some demographic variables and menthol preference was associated with greater nicotine dependence and greater urge reduction after smoking. Menthol was not associated with greater smoke exposure. Future research that investigates the unique risks associated with menthol and examines potential interactive effects with race and other related variables is warranted to better understand the role of menthol in smoking-related health disparities.
有人认为薄荷醇会增加吸烟时有害物质的暴露量，并使吸烟更具吸引力、更容易开始、更难戒掉。由于非裔美国人（AA）种族和薄荷醇偏好高度重叠，因此很难分离薄荷醇的直接影响。本研究评估了均衡的 AA 和白种人薄荷醇和非薄荷醇吸烟者的吸烟行为和主观反应。此外，还比较了吸烟形态学（ST）和自然吸烟（NS），并探讨了薄荷醇和种族的相互作用。
吸烟者（N=100）在两次实验室访问中（平衡）通过 ST 或 NS 吸烟并对他们喜欢的香烟品牌进行评分。
在控制了各组之间的基线差异（例如，尼古丁依赖）后，薄荷醇吸烟者的抽吸时间更短、抽吸量更小，AA 吸烟者的抽吸时间更长，但总抽吸量、一氧化碳或其他 ST 参数没有差异。薄荷醇吸烟者报告的减少烟瘾和降低感官刺激的效果更大。吸烟方式（ST 与 NS）对吸烟行为或暴露没有影响。通过 ST 吸烟的香烟被评为更强。吸烟方法的满意度差异与种族和薄荷醇状况存在交互作用。基于吸烟方法的满意度差异与种族和薄荷醇状况有关。
薄荷醇与增加的烟雾暴露或奖励（除了减少烟瘾）无关。与 NS 相比，ST 引起的实验反应最小。需要进行额外的研究，以分离薄荷醇的影响，并检查其与种族和其他变量之间的潜在交互作用，以更好地了解其在吸烟相关健康差异中的作用。
薄荷醇和非薄荷醇吸烟者在一些人口统计学变量上存在差异，薄荷醇偏好与吸烟后尼古丁依赖程度增加和烟瘾减少程度增加有关。薄荷醇与更大的烟雾暴露无关。有必要进行未来的研究，调查与薄荷醇相关的独特风险，并检查其与种族和其他相关变量之间的潜在交互作用，以更好地了解薄荷醇在吸烟相关健康差异中的作用。
