Blunt use and menthol cigarette smoking: An examination of adult marijuana users. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Montgomery, LaTrice; Mantey, Dale S.; Peters, Erica N.; Herrmann, Evan S.; Winhusen, Theresa
• Is Part Of: Addictive behaviors. Volume 102(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Cigarette -- Tobacco -- Menthol -- Marijuana -- Blunt; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; Nicotine addiction -- Periodicals; Smoking -- Periodicals; Gambling -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 362.29
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106153
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4603

Abstract

Highlights: Menthol cigarette smoking is increasing among racial/ethnic minority adults. Blunt use was associated with increased menthol cigarette use. When stratified by race, this association was found among White and Hispanic adults. No association between blunt and menthol cigarette use among African Americans. The impact of blunt use on menthol cigarette smoking varies by race. Abstract: Introduction: Use of menthol cigarettes remains highly prevalent among African American smokers and has increased among White and Hispanic/Latino smokers. Research is needed to examine if behavioral factors, such as marijuana use, are differentially associated with menthol cigarette use among racially/ethnically diverse samples of marijuana users. Methods: Using data from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, this study examined the association between past month marijuana (blunt versus non-blunt) and cigarette (non-menthol cigarette versus menthol cigarette versus no cigarette) use, as well as racial/ethnic differences in this relationship. Results: Among all marijuana users ( N = 5, 137), 34.1% smoked blunts, 28.7% smoked non-menthol cigarettes and 18.0% smoked menthol cigarettes, with the highest rates of blunt (63.8%) and menthol cigarette (38.9%) use found among African American adults. Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed a significant association between blunt use and non-menthol cigarette use (versus non-use) and menthol cigarette use (versus non-menthol cigarette and no cigarette use) among the full sample. When stratified by race/ethnicity, this finding was consistent for non-Hispanic White ( n = 3, 492) and partially consistent for Hispanic/Latino ( n = 839) adults. However, among African American adults ( n = 806), blunt use was not significantly associated with non-menthol cigarette use or menthol cigarette use. Discussion: Blunt use is associated with increased odds of non-menthol and menthol cigarette use, but only among Hispanic/Latino and White adults. Examining racial/ethnic differences in the association between marijuana and tobacco use is important to understanding disparities and informing prevention and treatment interventions and drug policies.