Helping menthol cigarette smokers quit through a targeted campaign
Official title: Amplifying the menthol cigarette ban’s impact in priority populations with a quit smoking campaign
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10934525 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a special quit smoking campaign for Black and LGB smokers to see how well it helps them stop smoking menthol cigarettes, especially with a new ban on these cigarettes coming up.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | March 21, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $830,874 |
| NIH project number | 5U54DA060049-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10934525 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are menthol cigarette smokers, particularly those who identify as Black or LGB.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not smoke menthol cigarettes or who are not part of the targeted populations may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance the impact of a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes by implementing a quit smoking campaign specifically designed for priority populations, including Black and LGB smokers. The project will develop tailored messaging through expert feedback and focus groups, followed by a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the effectiveness of the campaign. Participants will receive tools and support to help them quit smoking altogether, rather than switching to other cigarette types. The study will also evaluate the overall impact of the menthol ban on cigarette purchases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce smoking rates among menthol cigarette users, particularly in underserved populations.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that targeted smoking cessation campaigns can effectively reduce smoking rates in specific populations, suggesting potential success for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hall, Marissa — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Hall, Marissa
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Blood-based markers to identify lung cancer risk in never-smokers
A researchers team at NYU School of Medicine is testing blood tests that might flag higher lung cancer risk in people who have never smoked, helping decide who might need screening.
-
Social stress and smoking: why disadvantaged young adults struggle to quit
This grant looks at how daily social stress affects if and when disadvantaged young adults who smoke can quit and stay quit.
-
BSMART: A program to help people with HIV quit smoking
A program in HIV care settings tests a proven plan to help people with HIV quit smoking, using quick counseling and a switch to quitting medications.
-
BSMAT: Helping people with HIV quit smoking through routine support
A HIV care program in Botswana aims to help people living with HIV quit smoking using a proven 5A brief intervention plus support medication.
-
Improving treatment for people with HIV who smoke and drink in Nairobi, Kenya
A study tests a new plan to help people with HIV in Nairobi quit smoking and reduce heavy drinking, using a low-cost medicine and counseling.
-
I-STOP: a mobile health program to help people with HIV quit smoking
A smartphone-based program designed to help people with HIV quit smoking in a sustainable, affordable way.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.