“Public health impact of a US ban on menthol in cigarettes and cigars: a simulation study”

The US Food and Drug Administration most recently announced its intention to ban menthol cigarettes and cigars nationwide in April 2021. Implementation of the ban will require evidence that it would improve public health. This paper simulates the potential public health impact of a ban on menthol in cigarettes and cigars through its impacts on smoking initiation, smoking cessation and switching to nicotine vaping products (NVPs).

AUTHORS: David T Levy, Rafael Meza, Zhe Yuan, Yameng Li, Christopher Cadham, Luz Maria Sanchez-Romero, Nargiz Travis, Marie Knoll, Alex C Liber, Ritesh Mistry, Jana L Hirschtick, Nancy L Fleischer, Sarah Skolnick, Andrew F Brouwer, Cliff Douglas, Jihyoun Jeon, Steven Cook, Kenneth E Warner   JOURNAL: Tobacco control

POSTED: Fri Sep 03, 2021

“Consequences of a match made in hell: the harm caused by menthol smoking to the African American population over 1980–2018”

For many years, national surveys have shown a consistently disproportionately high prevalence of menthol smokers among African Americans compared with the general population. However, to our knowledge, no prior study has quantified the harm that menthol smoking has caused on that population. In this work, we estimate the public health harm that menthol cigarettes have caused to the African American community over the last four decades.

AUTHORS: David Mendez, PhD; Thuy Le, PhD   JOURNAL: Tobacco Control

COMMENTARY: “What more evidence is needed? Remove menthol cigarettes from the marketplace—now”

POSTED: Fri Sep 17, 2021

“Follow the money: a closer look at US tobacco industry marketing expenditures”

In the 1980s, famed American investor Warren Buffet said, ‘I’ll tell you why I like the cigarette business… It costs a penny to make. Sell it for a dollar. It’s addictive. And there’s fantastic brand loyalty.’ While the retail price of cigarettes has gone up, the relative magnitude between manufacturer’s cost of production and marketing, tax burden and retail price has not markedly changed.

AUTHORS: David T Levy, Alex C Liber, Christopher Cadham, Luz Maria Sanchez-Romero, Andrew Hyland, Michael Cummings, Cliff Douglas, Rafael Meza, Lisa Henriksen   JOURNAL: Tobacco Control.

POSTED: Wed Jan 26, 2022

“Estimated Prevalence of Smoking and Smoking-Attributable Mortality Associated With Graphic Health Warnings on Cigarette Packages in the US From 2022 to 2100”

What are the estimated population health outcomes associated with implementation of graphic health warnings on cigarette packages in 2022 and with delayed implementation of the warnings since 2012, as originally planned, in the US? In this decision analytical model using simulation modeling of smoking prevalence and smoking-attributable mortality in the US from 2012 to 2100, graphic health warnings, if implemented from 2022 to 2100, would be associated with 539,000 smoking-attributable deaths averted and 7.9 million life-years gained, and if implemented in 2012, with 718 000 deaths averted and 11.2 million life-years gained through 2100.

AUTHORS: Jamie Tam, PhD; Jihyoun Jeon, PhD; James F. Thrasher, PhD; David Hammond, PhD; Theodore R. Holford, PhD; David T. Levy, PhD; Rafael Meza, PhD   JOURNAL: Preventive medicine.

POSTED: Mon Sep 27, 2021