Use of flavored cigarettes among older adolescent and adult smokers: United States, 2004-2005

Abstract

Cigarettes with candy, fruit and alcohol flavors have been introduced in recent years as extensions to popular cigarette brands, raising concerns in the public health community that the enticing names, creative packaging, and intense flavorings of these products may be especially appealing to youth. This study used two national surveys to examine the prevalence of use of Camel Exotic Blends, Kool Smooth Fusion, and Salem Silver Label brands during 2004--2005 among older adolescents and young adult smokers aged 17-26 years and adult smokers aged > or =25 years. Overall use of any of these flavored brands in the past 30 days was 11.9% among smokers aged 17-26 years and 6.7% among smokers aged > or =25 years. A significant gradient in use was seen across age, with the highest rates of utilization among 17-year-old (22.8%) and 18-19-year-old smokers (21.7%) (p<.001). Uniquely flavored cigarette brands seem to be most attractive to the youngest smokers and should be prohibited.

Differential trends in cigarette smoking in the USA: is menthol slowing progress?

“…Consistent with evidence that young smokers prefer flavoured cigarettes,7 studies of adolescent and adult smokers find the highest prevalences of menthol cigarette use among 12–17-year-old smokers compared to older smokers and among middle school smokers when compared with high school smokers 5 8 – 10. A recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) report on menthol smoking showed that trends in past month menthol use increased from 13.4% in 2004 to 15.9% in 2010 among people aged 18–25 years old, and remained relatively stable from 2004–2010 among those aged 12–17 years and 26 years and older 11.…”

Cigarette brand preference as a function of price among smoking youths in Canada: are they smoking premium, discount or native brands?

“…The prevalence rates for youth smoking discount and native brands of cigarettes in this paper are also very conservative considering we were only able to examine the brand that smokers reported they usually smoke rather than the brand(s) that they may also periodically smoke. This is important as research has previously identified that many smokers consume a wide variety of tobacco products on a periodic basis 22. Owing to limitations with the measures available, we also were unable to determine if the native brands reported by youth smokers were illegal or legal cigarettes manufactured on a First Nations Reserve and/or other brands of cigarettes purchased tax-free on a First Nations Reserve.…”

Public Policy to Protect Children From Tobacco, Nicotine, and Tobacco Smoke

“…[64][65][66] These communities require dedicated resources and more intensive tobacco control efforts. 48,49 Tobacco use initiation and progression to dependence are more common with use of the flavored products. Menthol flavoring is particularly hazardous to children.…”

“…46,47 Flavoring agents increase the appeal of tobacco products to youth. 48,49 The tobacco industry is currently exploiting the looser regulation on noncigarette tobacco products to market fruit-and candy-flavored cigars, small cigars, and electronic nicotine delivery systems. Flavoring agents with local anesthetic properties, such as menthol, decrease the natural sensation of harshness of the tobacco smoke and make it easier to inhale the smoke deeply.…”