Correlates of current menthol cigarette and flavored other tobacco product use among U.S. young adults

Abstract Background Flavored and menthol tobacco products are particularly appealing to young adults. However, little is known about factors associated with their use in this population. Purpose To examine characteristics associated with using menthol cigarettes, flavored other tobacco products (OTP), and flavored e-cigarettes among young adults. Methods Using a nationally representative online sample of young adults (n = 4239) from the Truth Initiative Young Adult Cohort Study, mutually exclusive groups were created from the subset of current tobacco users (N = 1037) for users of menthol cigarettes (N = 311; 30%), non-menthol cigarettes (N = 426; 41%), flavored OTP only users (N = 114; 11%), and non-flavored OTP only users (N = 186; 18%) to examine factors of being in any one group. Data were collected in July 2012. Results In the full multivariable model, significant correlates of current menthol cigarette use were female gender (AOR = 2.08), Black race (AOR = 5.31), other race (AOR = 2.72), Hispanic ethnicity (AOR = 2.46) and self-identifying as a smoker, social smoker, or occasional smoker (AOR = 10.42). Significant correlates of current flavored OTP use were younger age (18–24; AOR = 3.50), self-identifying as a smoker, social smoker, or occasional smoker (AOR = 30) and generalized anxiety (AOR = 0.30). Conclusions This study highlights female gender, Blacks/other race/Hispanics, smokers, social smokers and sexual minorities as correlates of menthol cigarette use and younger age as a predictor of flavored OTP use. Restricting access to flavored tobacco products may be one intervention to help slow the tobacco epidemic, particularly among many of the most vulnerable groups—young women and racial and/or ethnic minorities.