Menthol Cigarettes

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the authority to regulate tobacco products, and a 2014 report from the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) recommended banning cigarettes with added flavors including mint.1

The TPSAC report cited research that menthol makes cigarettes easier to smoke, and increases the addictiveness of them. It also found that Menthol Cigarettes are more popular among young people and disproportionately used by people of color, making them an important contributor to tobacco-related health inequities.

Cool and Crisp: Exploring the World of Menthol Cigarettes

A few months after the TPSAC report was published, San Francisco became the first city to ban menthol cigarettes, and it has since been joined by several other cities and states. This article examines whether a city-wide menthol ban has changed smoking behavior and how the impact might differ by race, ethnicity, and level of education.

Tobacco products with added flavors such as mint, fruit, and candy attract youth and make it more difficult for them to quit, contributing to long-term addiction. These products are especially attractive to blacks, whose use of them is a significant contributor to the high rates of cigarette and cigar smoking in that population.

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