Research

Menthol cigarettes are more addictive, new research finds
Researchers from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey have found lower quit rates for smokers of menthol cigarettes particularly among African American and Latino smokers. The study looked at the effects of menthol on quit rates among 1700 smokers attending the Tobacco Dependence Clinic at the university. Previous studies have shown that smokers of menthol cigarettes inhale more nicotine and carbon monoxide per cigarette. This might contribute to this study’s findings that menthol smokers have a more difficult time quitting despite smoking less per day than non-menthol smokers. Of the African American smokers attending the clinic, over 80% smoked menthol cigarettes and had half the quit rate of the African Americans who smoked non-menthol cigarettes. Jonathan Foulds, director of the Tobacco Dependence Program, believes these findings are a possible explanation to the higher rate of lung cancer within the African American community. The study will be published in February’s issue of the International Journal of Clinical Practice. Click here to read more.

“Do you have a light?” Smoking keeps a tight grip on the LGBT community (IL)
According to the National LGBT Tobacco Control Network, members of the LGBT (lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender) community are 35-200% more likely to be smokers than the general public. In Chicago, a new smoking cessation program “It’s a Bitch to Quit” launched this month through the Howard Brown Health Center to provide a cessation program specific to the LGBT community. Karyn Haney, project coordinator for the program, says that this community deals with additional stressors that contribute to the higher rates of smokers. The overall smoking rate in Illinois is currently around 21%, but according to the LGBT Tobacco Control Network 30-40% of LGBT individuals smoke. Click here to read the full article.

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Reports

Smoking cessation program for veterans off to big start- Commonwealth of Massachusetts (MA)
After only one month, the veterans’ smoking cessation program at the State House in Massachusetts has already received over 500 calls. The program was launched as a joint effort between the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) and offers veterans and their families a free four-week supply of nicotine patches, information and resources on the benefits of quitting smoking, tips about how to quit and free telephone support through the Massachusetts Smokers’ Helpline. The program is set to run through June 30th, 2009. In the state of Massachusetts, 24% of veterans smoke which is a much higher rate than the 18% of the state’s general population that smokes. Click here to read more.

National African American Tobacco Prevention Network’s Winter Newsletter featuring the tobacco industry’s targeting of African Americans
The tobacco industry has gone to great lengths to target the African-American community over the past 30 years, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Through market research and aggressive advertising, the industry has successfully penetrated this population. The industry’s “investment” in the African-American community has had a destructive impact. Click here (pdf) to learn about what is being done to counteract the tobacco industry’s agenda and other stories of leadership within the African American Community, or click here to view NAATPN’s website and access additional resources and tools to counter the marketing of tobacco products to African Americans.

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