Menthol versus tobacco e-liquid flavor: Impact on acute subjective effects, puff patterns, and intentions for use among Black and White menthol smokers

Background The proposed FDA product standard to prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in combustible cigarettes has the potential to significantly reduce tobacco-related health disparities. Whether inclusion of menthol-flavored e-liquid in the product standard would improve or hinder public health is unknown. No known research has directly examined the impact of menthol vs. tobacco flavored e-liquid use on acute e-cigarette use patterns, subjective experience, behavioral intentions, and craving and withdrawal among menthol cigarette smokers. Methods Black (n = 47) and White (n = 4) nicotine-deprived menthol smokers with limited e-cigarette experience completed two counterbalanced in-laboratory 30-minute ad libitum vaping sessions with menthol and tobacco nicotine salt-based e-liquid in a randomized crossover pilot trial design. Questionnaires assessed reductions in craving and withdrawal and post-session subjective experience and behavior intentions. Puff topography was measured continuously throughout each vaping session. Results Measures of puff topography did not differ significantly by e-liquid flavor (all p > .40). Similarly, menthol and tobacco flavored e-cigarettes were both rated positively in terms of subjective effects and behavioral intentions (all p > .10) and about 40 % of participants reported a preference for the tobacco-flavored e-liquid. Finally, participants showed comparable reductions in craving (p = .210) and withdrawal (p = .671) from pre- and post-session regardless of e-liquid flavor. Conclusions Among menthol smokers in a lab-based setting, findings suggest that menthol vs tobacco e-liquid flavor has little impact on acute changes in puff patterns, subjective experience, behavioral intentions, or craving and withdrawal.