Prevalence and correlates of flavored novel oral nicotine product use among a national sample of youth.

BACKGROUND: Flavored novel oral nicotine products (ONP), such as pouches, gum, lozenges, tablets, and gummies, have recently entered the US market but have not been authorized for smoking cessation. This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of ONPs in a national sample of youth who smoked little filtered cigars or cigarillos (LCCs) or were susceptible to LCCs. METHODS: We conducted a national online survey from September-October 2022, as part of a study to develop cigar warnings among youth. Those aged 15-20 years old who reported using (ever or current) or susceptibility to little filtered cigars or cigarillos (LCCs) were eligible. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses assessed the prevalence of flavored ONP use and associations with other past 30-day tobacco product use and participant characteristics. RESULTS: Approximately one-fifth (17.1 %) of the sample (n = 680) reported past month flavored ONP use. Any past month tobacco use was correlated with past month flavored ONP use (ps < 0.001), increasing from 17.1 % in the overall sample to 26.8 % among those reporting e-cigarette use, 41.4 % (LCCs), 47.8 % (waterpipe tobacco), 61.8 % (large cigars), and 69.1 % (smokeless tobacco). The number of products used in the past month was significantly associated with higher odds of ONPs in the past month in a multivariable logistic regression model (aOR2.26; 95 % CI: 1.92, 2.65). DISCUSSION: Almost one-fifth of participants who use or are susceptible to cigar use in our national sample of youth use ONPs. Dual/poly use of other tobacco products and ONPs among youth suggests that many of these youth may be addicted to nicotine. Additional surveillance and regulation of ONPs that exhibit enticing characteristics, such as flavors, kid-friendly formulations, and targeted marketing/branding may be needed.

Examining the prevalence of nicotine vaping and association of major depressive episodes among adolescents and young adults by disability type in 2021.

BACKGROUND: Nicotine vaping is more prevalent among U.S. adults with disabilities compared to those without disabilities. However, less is known about nicotine vaping among adolescents (12-17 years) and young adults (18-25 years) by disability status. METHODS: Using data from a sample of 24,722 adolescents and young adults (AYAs) from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we conducted descriptive and multivariable analyses to estimate the national prevalence of nicotine vaping by disability type and examined major depressive episodes (MDEs) as a risk factor for nicotine vaping. RESULTS: A greater proportion of AYAs with disabilities engaged in past-month nicotine vaping compared to those without a disability (13.9 % vs 9.6 %, p = 0.0001). Also, when MDE was excluded from the model, AYAs with any disability had higher odds of nicotine vaping (AOR = 1.41; 95 % CI 1.15, 1.74) than those without a disability. However, disability status was no longer significant when MDE was included (AOR = 1.16; 95 % CI 0.91, 1.46) in the model. CONCLUSIONS: The higher prevalence of nicotine vaping among AYAs with disabilities suggests that tailored messages may be needed to communicate health risks and adverse outcomes of e-cigarette use. Also, MDE is associated with nicotine vaping among AYA populations. This information can be helpful to school nurses, counselors, and mental health professionals in their screening of major depression as a risk factor for e-cigarette use.

Differences in Normative Beliefs and Tobacco Product Use by Age Among Adults Who Smoke: Cross-Sectional Analysis of a Nationally Representative Sample.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of combusted cigarette (CC) smoking among older adults is stagnant, with 0 declines attributable to e-cigarette (EC) use. Given that normative beliefs are associated with quitting and switching to ECs, we assessed cross-sectional associations between age, CC, and EC descriptive and injunctive norms and potential interactions with tobacco use behavior. METHODS: Data are from people with current, established (≥100 lifetime CCs) CC use (n = 8072) at Wave 5 (2018-2019) of the adult Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. We used adjusted multivariable logistic regressions to model social norms as a function of age (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, ≥65 years). We also dichotomized age (≥55 vs 18-54) to investigate interactions between age and social norms on past 12-month CC quit attempts and past-month EC use. RESULTS: Older age was positively associated with pro- and anti-CC norms and anti-EC norms. Significant interactive effects revealed that being advised to quit smoking by a healthcare provider was more strongly associated with CC quit attempts among adults ≥55 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] [95% CI]: 2.12 [1.66, 2.71]) than adults <55 years (aOR: 1.63 [1.34, 2.00]). Reporting people close to you use ECs was also more strongly associated with EC use among adults ≥55 years (aOR: 4.37 [3.35, 5.69]) than among adults <55 years (aOR: 3.43 [2.89, 4.08]). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified modifiable risk factors for tobacco use that may be particularly beneficial for older adults. Behavioral and communication interventions that target normative beliefs may maximize smoking cessation, or harm reduction when cessation is not possible.

Smoking Quit Attempts and Associated Factors Among Rural Adults Who Smoke Daily in the US.

INTRODUCTION: Rural American communities are heavily affected by tobacco-related health disparities. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of quit attempts (QA) and factors that promote or impede QA among rural adults who smoke daily. METHODS: Data from Wave 5 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with quit attempt. Backwards selection was used to identify variables included in the final model with statistical significance set at p <0.05. RESULTS: Among 1,610 rural adults who smoked daily, the prevalence of a quit attempt in the past 12 months was 25.6% (95% CI: 23.2, 28.2). Factors associated with greater QA odds: having greater education (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.77), e-cigarette use (aOR=1.35 95% CI: 1.03, 1.80), disapproval of smoking from friends/family (aOR= 1.46, 95% CI: 1.09-1.94), greater frequency of thinking about the harm of tobacco (aOR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.28, 1.71), fair/poor physical health (aOR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.70), and being advised to quit by a doctor (aOR =1.63 , 95% CI:1.25, 2.13). Smokeless tobacco use (aOR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.96) and greater cigarettes per day (aOR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.96) were associated with QA lower odds. CONCLUSION: Only 1 in 4 rural adults who smoke made a past year quit attempt. Interventions that promote provider advice to quit smoking, tobacco health harms, and normative beliefs may increase quit attempts in rural communities. IMPLICATIONS: Along with higher smoking rates and lower quitting attempts, rural communities face limited access to programs, medication, and health care professionals as tools to help them quit smoking. Public Health initiatives should focus on developing cultural sensitivity training targeting health care professionals to advise patients to quit smoking and the role of multiple tobacco products use. Furthermore, given the low rates of smoking quitting attempts future mixed methods research is needed to inform policies and interventions targeted at eliminating tobacco-related health disparities.

Associations of daily alcohol, cannabis, combustible tobacco, and e-cigarette use with same-day co-use and poly-use of the other substances.

BACKGROUND: Young adults frequently use alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco together. Given the increased prevalence of e-cigarette use and recreational cannabis use, we investigated daily patterns of alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco use and distinguished combustible tobacco from e-cigarettes. METHODS: Young adult college students (N=341) reporting past-month alcohol and cannabis use "at the same time so that their effects overlapped" completed two 28-day bursts of repeated daily surveys. Exposures were day- and person-level use of each substance. Outcomes were (1) same-day co-use of each remaining substance or (2) poly-use of the other substances. RESULTS: Daily use of alcohol, cannabis, combustible cigarettes, and e-cigarettes increased the odds of same-day co-use of the other substances (except combustible tobacco with e-cigarettes) and each poly-use outcome. The influence of person-level substance use on daily substance use was less consistent. Only e-cigarette use increased the odds of daily alcohol use. Use of either tobacco product but not alcohol increased the odds of daily cannabis use. Person-level alcohol and cannabis use increased the odds of daily use of either tobacco product but use of one tobacco product was not associated with daily use of the other product. CONCLUSIONS: These findings increase our understanding of emerging daily patterns of alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco co-use, and the impact of different tobacco products. Future work is needed to extend this research into non-college samples and people who use tobacco but do not use alcohol and cannabis simultaneously, and examine daily chronologies of multiple substances that could serve as dynamic markers of risk.

Pain is associated with exclusive use and co-use of tobacco and cannabis: Findings from Wave 5 (2018-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study.

INTRODUCTION: Rates of tobacco and cannabis use are disproportionately high among individuals with pain, and evidence suggests that pain may engender greater likelihood of substance co-use, yielding additive risk. This study examined national associations of pain with past-month tobacco use, cannabis use, and co-use of tobacco and cannabis. METHODS: Data came from a nationally representative US sample of adults in Wave 5 (2018-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study (N = 32,014). The sample included civilian, non-institutionalized people who use tobacco and people who do not use tobacco. Past-week pain intensity (0-10) was dichotomized (0-4 no/low pain; 5-10 moderate/severe pain). Multinomial models adjusted for demographics examined substance use category membership (no tobacco or cannabis use, exclusive cannabis use, exclusive tobacco use, co-use) as a function of pain status. RESULTS: Moderate/severe pain was associated with increased relative risk of exclusive tobacco use (RRR [CI] 2.26 [2.05, 2.49], p <.001), exclusive cannabis use (1.49 [1.22, 1.82], p <.001), and co-use of tobacco and cannabis (2.79 [2.51, 3.10], p <.001), in comparison to no tobacco or cannabis use. Additionally, moderate/severe pain was associated with increased risk of co-use compared to exclusive tobacco use (1.23 [1.11, 1.37], p <.001) and exclusive cannabis use (1.88 [1.54, 2.29], p <.001). DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that not only is pain independently associated with greater risk of exclusively using tobacco or cannabis, but pain is also associated with heightened risk of co-using both products. Future work should examine the dynamic and potentially bidirectional relationships between pain and use of cannabis and tobacco.

Older age is associated with greater misperception of the relative health risk of e-cigarettes and cigarettes among US adults who smoke.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults aged ≥55 has remained stagnant over the past decade. National data modelling suggests no reduction in cigarette smoking prevalence attributable to e-cigarette use in the USA among people aged ≥45. Misperceptions about the absolute risks (ie, cigarettes are not harmful) and relative risks (ie, e-cigarettes are more harmful than cigarettes) of tobacco products may contribute to sustained smoking prevalence and hesitancy to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes among older adults. METHODS: Participants reported cigarette use (n=8072) at Wave 5 (2018-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. Weighted multivariable logistic regressions included six age categories (independent variable) and cigarette and e-cigarette risk perceptions (outcomes). Additional models assessed the associations between dichotomous age (≥55 vs 18-54), risk perceptions and an interaction term (independent variables) with past 12-month quit attempts and past-month e-cigarette use (outcomes). RESULTS: Adults aged ≥65 were less likely than adults aged 18-24 to rate cigarettes as very/extremely harmful (p<0.05). Odds of rating e-cigarettes as more harmful than cigarettes among adults aged 55-64 and ≥65 were 1.71 (p<0.001) and 1.43 (p=0.024) greater than for adults aged 18-24. This misperception was negatively associated with past-month e-cigarette use and was stronger among adults aged ≥55 (p<0.001) than adults aged <55 (p<0.001). DISCUSSION: Adults aged ≥55 are more likely to have misperceptions about the absolute and relative risks of tobacco products, which may contribute to continued smoking. Health communications targeting this age group could modify beliefs about the perceived harms of tobacco products.

Stagnant daily smoking prevalence between 2008 and 2019 among Black and Hispanic adults with serious psychological distress.

BACKGROUND: Racial/ethnic minority status and mental illness independently drive inequity in cigarette smoking and related morbidity. Racial/ethnic minority groups suffer a disproportionate burden of tobacco-related diseases. People with serious mental illness (SMI) smoke at up to 7 times the rate of the general population. There is a need to quantify smoking prevalence and trends among people at the intersection of both groups. METHODS: This study analyzes 2008-2019 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Linear time trends of daily smoking prevalence were assessed among people with serious psychological distress (SPD; marker for SMI) and people without SPD reporting White, Black, Hispanic, and Other race/ethnicity using logistic regression, with survey year as the predictor. Models with year-by-smoking status interaction terms and F-tests assessed differential time trends. RESULTS: The prevalence of daily smoking among people without SPD decreased over time among people reporting White (aOR=0.96, p<0.001), Black (aOR=0.96, p<0.001), Hispanic (aOR=0.95, p<0.001), and Other (aOR=0.97, p=0.002) race/ethnicity. Among people with SPD, the smoking prevalence decreased among people with White race/ethnicity (aOR=0.95, p<0.001), with no significant changes among people of Black, Hispanic, and Other race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking among people with SPD who report Black and Hispanic race/ethnicity has not changed significantly in the past 11 years, despite decreasing among non-SPD and White groups. People who are Black/Hispanic and people with SPD struggle to quit smoking, which is amplified intersectionally. Tailored interventions may be a better mechanism to reduce barriers to smoking cessation in this population.

Can Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Measures Estimate High Impact Chronic Pain After Total Joint Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: High impact chronic pain (HICP) is not typically measured following orthopedic surgeries, but has a substantial negative impact on postoperative quality of life. This analysis determined which Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures accurately estimate HICP status following total joint arthroplasty (TJA). METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a hip and knee TJA cohort. HICP status was determined by two items from the Graded Chronic Pain Scale-Revised. The cohort (n = 2,400) consisted of 47.5% hip (n = 1,142) and 52.5% knee TJA (n = 1,258). For total hip arthroplasty (THA), 53.7% were women (n = 615), 48.6% were 65 years or older (n = 557), 72.5% completed the survey more than 24 months after first surgery (n = 831), and 9.9% had HICP (n = 114). For total knee arthroplasty (TKA), 54.3% were women (n = 687), 59.3% were 65 years or older (n = 750), 72.3% survey completed the survey more than 24 months after first surgery (n = 915), and 11.5% had HICP (n = 145). Included PROMIS measures were pain interference, physical function, anxiety, and sleep disturbance. First, discriminant function analysis determined PROMIS measure contribution to HICP status. Then, area under the curve (AUC) calculated the accuracy of PROMIS measures to estimate HICP status. Influences of sociodemographic and surgical characteristics on AUC were explored in sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: Results for TKA and THA were similar so they are presented collectively for the sake of brevity. Mean differences were identified for all PROMIS measures for those with HICP (All P values < 0.01). Pain interference (ß = 0.934) and sleep disturbance (ß = 0.154) were independently correlated with HICP status in discriminant function analyses. The AUC (95% CIs) for HICP were as follows: pain interference (.952-.973), physical function (.921-.949), sleep (.780-.838), and anxiety (.687-.757). Sensitivity analyses revealed little change in AUC and HICP cutoff scores for PROMIS pain interference and physical function. CONCLUSION: Two PROMIS measures commonly administered as standard of care for orthopedics, pain interference, and physical function, can be used to estimate HICP status for THA and TKA, thereby refining assessment of TJA outcomes.

Pain and Menthol Use Are Related to Greater Nicotine Dependence Among Black Adults Who Smoke Cigarettes at Wave 5 (2018-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Burdens related to pain, smoking/nicotine dependence, and pain-smoking comorbidity disproportionately impact Black Americans, and menthol cigarette use is overrepresented among Black adults who smoke cigarettes. Menthol may increase nicotine exposure, potentially conferring enhanced acute analgesia and driving greater dependence. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to examine associations between pain, menthol cigarette use, and nicotine dependence. Data was drawn from Black adults who were current cigarette smokers (n = 1370) at Wave 5 (2018-2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. Nicotine dependence was assessed using the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives. ANCOVA revealed that moderate/severe pain (vs. no/low pain) was associated with greater overall nicotine dependence (p < .001) and greater negative reinforcement, cognitive enhancement, and affiliative attachment smoking motives (ps < .001). Menthol smokers with moderate/severe pain also endorsed greater cigarette craving and tolerance, compared to non-menthol smokers with no/low pain (ps < .05). Findings support the notion that among Black individuals who smoke cigarettes, the presence of moderate/severe pain (vs. no/low pain) and menthol use may engender greater physical indices of nicotine dependence relative to non-menthol use. Compared to no/low pain, moderate/severe pain was associated with greater emotional attachment to smoking and greater proclivity to smoke for reducing negative affect and enhancing cognitive function. Clinical implications include the need to address the role of pain and menthol cigarette use in the assessment and treatment of nicotine dependence, particularly among Black adults. These data may help to inform evolving tobacco control policies aimed at regulating or banning menthol tobacco additives.

Menthol preference moderates the relationship between cigarette nicotine content choice and reactions in young adults who smoke infrequently.

BACKGROUND: Half of young adults who smoke use menthol cigarettes, which is associated with continued smoking and greater nicotine dependence. Additionally, early subjective reactions to cigarettes predict future use. Menthol may blunt the sensory effects of nicotine. We investigated the moderating role of menthol on subjective reactions to, and choice of varied nicotine content cigarettes in young adults who smoke infrequently. METHODS: In three counterbalanced, double-blinded sessions, young adults who smoke ≤ 15 days/month smoked fixed doses from very low (VLNC), intermediate (INC), and normal (NNC) nicotine content cigarettes, which were menthol or non-menthol depending on preference. Participants chose their preferred cigarette in a final session. Positive and negative subjective reactions were measured in each session. ANOVA tests investigated the relationship between menthol preference, nicotine content, and subjective reactions. RESULTS: Participants (N = 87) were 18-25 years old and reported smoking 15.2 cigarettes per month over 8 days (35 % menthol). Non-menthol preferring participants had increased negative reactions with greater nicotine content (F(1, 55)= 10.76, p < .001); menthol preferring participants did not. Choice of higher nicotine cigarettes was associated with having reported a greater difference in positive reactions to NNC and VLNC for non-menthol preferring participants (F(1, 55)= 12.72, p < .001) but not for menthol preferring participants. CONCLUSIONS: Young adults who smoke infrequently are a priority tobacco control population given their high risk of transitioning to daily smoking. Results from this study in the form of subjective reactions indicate that a menthol ban is required for a nicotine reduction standard to be maximally effective in this vulnerable group.

Multiple Tobacco Product Use Conceptual Framework: A 2021 Update on Evidence.

INTRODUCTION: One-third of adults in the United States who use tobacco regularly use two or more types of tobacco products. As the use of e-cigarettes and other noncombusted tobacco products increases-making multiple tobacco product (MTP) use increasingly common-it is essential to evaluate the complex factors that affect product use. AIMS AND METHODS: In this update to our 2019 conceptual framework, we review and evaluate recent literature and expand the model to include ways in which MTP use may be affected by market factors such as the introduction of new products and socioenvironmental factors like marketing and advertising. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: MTP use patterns are complex, dynamic, and multiply determined by factors at the level of individuals, products, situations or contexts, and marketplace. Substitution, or using one product with the intent of decreasing use of another, and complementarity, or using multiple products for different reasons or purposes, explain patterns in MTP use. Moreover, substitution and complementarity may inform our understanding of how market changes targeted at one product, for instance, new product standards, bans, product pricing, and taxation, affect consumption of other tobacco products. New data from natural experiments and novel laboratory-based techniques add additional data and expand the framework. IMPLICATIONS: A substantial proportion of people who use tobacco use more than one product. This review synthesizes and evaluates recent evidence on the diverse factors that affect MTP use in addition to expanding our framework. Our review is accompanied by suggested research questions that can guide future study.

Predictors of smoking reduction among African American and Latinx smokers in a randomized controlled trial of JUUL e-cigarettes.

INTRODUCTION: E-cigarette (e-cig) use is widespread and may play an important role in facilitating smoking reduction. Racial/ethnic minorities are less likely than Whites to use e-cigs and suffer disproportionate tobacco-related disease, making them a priority for harm reduction. This paper explores factors associated with smoking reduction among African American (AA) and Latinx smokers enrolled in a trial assessing toxicant exposure in those assigned to e-cigs or smoking as usual. METHODS: Participants were randomized to receive 6 weeks of JUUL e-cigs or continue smoking cigarettes as usual (N = 187). This analysis focuses on 109 participants randomized to e-cigs. We modeled cigarettes smoked in the past week at baseline and week 6 as a function of a priori selected predictors (number of JUUL pods used throughout the study, baseline cigarette dependence, and baseline cotinine) using a Poisson model fit with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Over the six-week study, cigarette smoking decreased from an average of 82.4 to 15.5 cigarettes per week. Greater numbers of JUUL pods used predicted a greater smoking reduction by week 6 (IRR = 0.94 [0.91, 0.96], p < 0.001). Higher baseline cigarette dependence (IRR = 1.03 [1.01, 1.05], p = 0.004), and baseline cotinine (IRR = 1.18 [1.03, 1.37], p = 0.020) predicted a lesser smoking reduction. CONCLUSIONS: AA and Latinx smokers reduced their cigarette consumption while using JUUL e-cigs. Higher e-cig use during an intervention to switch to e-cigs to reduce harm may facilitate a transition to smoking fewer cigarettes, offering an opportunity to narrow smoking-related health disparities.

Factors Associated With Cannabis Use Among African American Nondaily Smokers.

OBJECTIVES: Cannabis and tobacco dual use is a growing concern in the United States, especially among African Americans (AAs). Dual use increases nicotine dependence and poses negative health effects. Despite decreasing numbers of people who smoke daily, nondaily smokers (NDS) are increasing. Polytobacco use, including blunt use, is higher in AA NDS than AAs who smoke daily. This study examined factors associated with cannabis use among AA NDS. METHODS: Adult AA NDS participated in a randomized controlled trial (n = 278) for smoking cessation. A subset of this sample (n = 262; mean age 48.2 years; 50% male) was analyzed to identify correlates of cannabis use. Logistic regression assessed the associations of demographic, smoking-related, and psychosocial variables with cannabis use. RESULTS: Participants smoked cigarettes on an average of 18 days of the last 30 and used 4.5 cigarettes on smoking days. Of the participants analyzed, 38% used cannabis, including blunts (ie, cigars hollowed out filled with cannabis) at baseline. Cannabis use was associated with polytobacco product use not including blunts (odds ratio [OR] 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18-3.77, P = 0.012), depressive symptoms (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.05-1.42, P = 0.011), and younger age (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-0.99, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of cannabis and tobacco dual use in our sample exceed national rates. Dual use poses harmful health effects that exceed the risk of either substance alone. Findings will inform future work in tailoring treatments to vulnerable groups of people who use both tobacco and cannabis.