Effects of mint, menthol, and tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes on tobacco withdrawal symptoms in adults who smoke menthol cigarettes: A laboratory pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Menthol cigarette smoking has remained stable or increased in certain groups, despite an overall decline in cigarette smoking rates in the U.S. Understanding whether e-cigarettes alter patterns of menthol cigarette use is critical to informing efforts for reducing the public health burden of menthol cigarette smoking. This 2019-2020 laboratory pilot study evaluated whether self-administration of mint-, menthol-, or tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes would differentially impact tobacco withdrawal symptoms in e-cigarette-naïve adults who smoke menthol cigarettes daily. METHODS: Participants (N=17; 35.3% Female; mean age=51.8) attended three laboratory sessions after 16-hours of tobacco abstinence. Participants self-administered a study-provided JUUL e-cigarette (0.7mL with 5% nicotine by weight) at each session in which flavor was manipulated (mint vs. menthol vs. tobacco; order randomized). Participants completed pre- and post-e-cigarette administration self-report assessments on smoking urges, nicotine withdrawal, and positive and negative affect states. Multilevel linear regression models tested differences between the three flavor conditions for individual study outcomes. RESULTS: Following overnight tobacco abstinence, vaping either a mint or menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarette led to significantly greater reductions in smoking urges over time; menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes also suppressed urges to smoke for pleasure. Notably, no differences in nicotine withdrawal, positive affect, or negative affect were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In this laboratory pilot study, mint and menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes provided some negative reinforcement effects via acute reductions in smoking urges during tobacco abstinence, yet only menthol flavored e-cigarettes demonstrated suppressive effects on smoking urges for pleasure in adults who smoke menthol cigarettes daily.

Mapping the scientific literature on obstetrical and perinatal health among sexual and gender minoritised (SGM) childbearing people and their infants: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual and gender minoritised (SGM) populations are disproportionately impacted by multilevel risk factors for obstetrical and perinatal outcomes, including structural (eg, stigma, discrimination, access to care) and individual risk factors (eg, partner violence, poor mental health, substance use). Emerging evidence shows SGM childbearing people have worse obstetrical outcomes and their infants have worse perinatal outcomes, when compared with their cisgender and heterosexual counterparts; this emerging evidence necessitates a comprehensive examination of existing literature on obstetrical and perinatal health among SGM people. The goal of this scoping review is to comprehensively map the extent, range and nature of scientific literature on obstetrical and perinatal physical health outcomes among SGM populations and their infants. We aim to summarise findings from existing literature, potentially informing clinical guidelines on perinatal care, as well as highlighting knowledge gaps and providing directions for future research. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review framework and report findings according to the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. We will conduct a broad systematic search in Medline/PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Web of Science Core Collection. Eligible studies will include peer-reviewed, empirical, English-language publications pertaining to obstetrical and perinatal physical health outcomes of SGM people or their infants. No temporal or geographical limitations will be applied to the search. Studies conducted in all settings will be considered. Records will be managed, screened and extracted by two independent reviewers. Study characteristics, key findings and research gaps will be presented in tables and summarised narratively. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required as primary data will not be collected. The findings of this scoping review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework https://osf.io/6fg4a/.