Flavored Tobacco Product Use and Its Association With Indicators of Tobacco Dependence Among US Adults, 2014-2015

Abstract

Introduction: Widely marketed flavored tobacco products might appeal to nonusers and could be contributing to recent increases in tobacco product use. We assessed flavored product use among current tobacco users; and measured associations between flavored product use and dependence among US adults.

Methods: Data were from the 2014-2015 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey, a cross-sectional household-based survey of US adults ≥18 years (n = 163 920). Current users of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookahs, smokeless tobacco, and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were asked whether their usual product was menthol or came in any characterizing flavors. Proportions of flavored product users were computed nationally and by state and demographic characteristics. Tobacco dependence was assessed with two proxy measures: daily use and use ≤30 minutes after waking. Associations between flavored product use and tobacco dependence were examined using logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, race/ethnicity, and multi tobacco product use.

Results: An estimated 41.0% of current users of any tobacco product usually used a flavored product during 2014-2015. The proportion ranged from 22.5% (Maine) to 62.1% (District of Columbia). By product, the proportion ranged from 28.3% (cigars) to 87.2% (hookah). Flavored product use was associated with: daily tobacco product use among current e-cigarette users (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.71), cigar smokers (AOR = 1.42), and cigarette smokers (AOR = 1.13); and tobacco product use ≤30 minutes after waking among current cigar smokers (AOR = 1.80), and cigarette smokers (AOR = 1.11).

Conclusions: Restricting sales of flavored tobacco products and implementation of proven population-level tobacco control interventions could help reduce tobacco product use among US adults.

Implications: During 2014-2015, flavored tobacco products were widely used by US adults with variations across states and demographic characteristics. Use of flavored e-cigarettes, flavored cigars, and menthol cigarettes were associated with daily tobacco use: use of flavored cigars and menthol cigarettes were associated with tobacco use within 30 minutes after waking. These findings suggest associations between flavor use and increased tobacco dependence. Prohibiting sale of flavored products can reduce access to those products, and could help reduce tobacco dependence and promote cessation behaviors among current tobacco product users.