Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2022 Mar 1;232:109293. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109293. Epub 2022 Jan 12.
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.
As part of a laboratory study examining menthol flavor regulations, we conducted follow-up interviews with participants who smoke menthol cigarettes (N = 35). We explored the following topics: (1) menthol cigarette risk perceptions; (2) knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of menthol cigarette regulations; and (3) anticipated behavior if menthol cigarettes were banned. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, double-coded, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Many participants thought menthol cigarettes carried more health risks than non-menthol cigarettes. Some participants said regulators wanted to ban menthol cigarettes because they appeal to youth. Others thought a ban would be good for public health because fewer people, particularly youth, would smoke. Several voiced skepticism about banning only menthol cigarettes rather than all cigarettes. Most said they would use other products, including electronic cigarettes or non-menthol cigarettes, but many also thought a menthol ban could motivate them or others to quit smoking.
Banning menthol cigarettes could lead some people who smoke menthol cigarettes to switch to potentially less harmful products, like e-cigarettes, or quit smoking, which would likely benefit public health; however, others may simply transition to non-menthol cigarettes. As regulators move forward with banning menthol cigarettes, communication campaigns explaining the public health benefits, potentially focusing on the benefits for youth, should be part of the policy implementation plan.
美国食品和药物管理局最近宣布有意寻求在联邦层面上禁止薄荷醇香烟。本定性研究评估了薄荷醇香烟吸烟者对潜在薄荷醇香烟禁令的反应。
作为一项研究薄荷醇风味法规的实验室研究的一部分，我们对吸薄荷醇香烟的参与者（N=35）进行了后续访谈。我们探讨了以下主题：（1）薄荷醇香烟的风险认知；（2）对薄荷醇香烟法规的知识、态度和看法；（3）如果薄荷醇香烟被禁止，预期的行为。访谈进行了录音、逐字转录、双编码，并使用反思性主题分析进行了分析。
许多参与者认为薄荷醇香烟比非薄荷醇香烟的健康风险更大。一些参与者表示，监管机构之所以希望禁止薄荷醇香烟，是因为它们吸引年轻人。其他人则认为禁令对公共健康有益，因为吸烟的人，特别是年轻人会减少。一些人对只禁止薄荷醇香烟而不是所有香烟表示怀疑。大多数人表示他们会使用其他产品，包括电子烟或非薄荷醇香烟，但也有很多人认为薄荷醇禁令可能会促使他们或其他人戒烟。
禁止薄荷醇香烟可能会促使一些吸薄荷醇香烟的人转而使用潜在危害较小的产品，如电子烟，或戒烟，这可能会有益于公共健康；然而，其他人可能会简单地转向非薄荷醇香烟。随着监管机构推进禁止薄荷醇香烟，宣传公共卫生益处的宣传活动，可能侧重于对年轻人的益处，应该成为政策实施计划的一部分。
