Effect of Banning Menthol Flavorant on Cigarette and E-Cigarette Use

In this pilot study, menthol cigarette smokers will be randomized to one of three experimental marketplaces: 1) a condition simulating a ban on menthol cigarettes but not menthol e-cigarettes (condition A); 2) a condition simulating a ban on both menthol cigarettes and menthol e-cigarettes (Condition B); and 3) a condition in which menthol is not banned for either product (Condition C - the control condition). All conditions would have medicinal nicotine available if subjects decide to quit tobacco products entirely. At visits occurring every two weeks over a 6 week period, subjects will receive "credits" that they could exchange for any product available in their randomized marketplace condition. Outcomes include the amount of each tobacco product used.

Participants will have available to them non-menthol cigarettes, menthol and tobacco flavored versions of a cigarette-like e-cigarette, menthol and tobacco flavored versions of a tank like e-cigarette and nicotine gum and lozenge

Participants will have available to them non-menthol cigarettes, tobacco flavored version of a cigarette-like e-cigarette, tobacco flavored version of a tank like e-cigarette and nicotine gum and lozenge

Participants will have available to them menthol and non-menthol cigarettes, menthol and tobacco flavored versions of a cigarette-like e-cigarette, menthol and tobacco flavored versions of a tank like e-cigarette and nicotine gum and lozenge

Participants will have menthol and tobacco flavored e-cigarettes available but only non-menthol cigarettes

Number of packs of cigarettes obtained and amount of e-liquid obtained from the "experimental marketplace"

Based on a question asking how motivated from 1 (not at all) to 10 (extremely) the participant is to quit smoking cigarettes at this time

Inclusion Criteria: Be between the ages of 18 and 64 Purchase exclusively menthol cigarettes Not currently motivated to quit smoking Smoking a minimum number of cigarettes per day Exclusion Criteria: Report a serious, unstable medical or psychiatric condition Use any medications that might interfere with measures to be studied (for example, medications known to affect smoking) Have used any smoking cessation therapy during the past month Regularly use any form of tobacco other than cigarettes Are pregnant or breast feeding or planning to become pregnant or breast feed during the study

Kotlyar M, Shanley R, Dufresne SR, Corcoran GA, Hatsukami DK. Effect on Tobacco Use and Subjective Measures of Including E-cigarettes in a Simulated Ban of Menthol in Combustible Cigarettes. Nicotine Tob Res. 2022 Aug 6;24(9):1448-1457. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntac107.