There has been a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes in the United States. One of the reasons for this is that menthol cigarettes can be more harmful. In this video, I talk about menthol cigarettes, what it does to you and why tobacco companies use this flavor to get you hooked on smoking.
It is good to know that over the last several years, there has been a decline in the number of people who smoke cigarettes. Even though there has been an overall decrease, the number of people who smoke menthol cigarettes continues to remain high.
This remains a huge concern because of the dangers of menthol cigarettes. These cigarettes also tend to be more common amongst certain population groups including Asian Americans, African Americans ,Hispanics, the LGBTQ community, people with lower levels of income and also young adults.
So why do cigarette makers add menthol to their products? Well, before we talk about this further, let us talk about menthol. Menthol is a flavor that has a minty taste and smell. It is a chemical compound found naturally in peppermint and other similar plants. It can also be produced in a lab. Menthol was first added to cigarettes in the 1920s and 1930s.
As you know, several food products have a minty flavor as this is quite popular with many people. In a similar manner, adding menthol flavor to cigarettes is a way of making them taste better and as such, more attractive to people.
Menthol is also known to have painkilling and cooling effects. When added to cigarettes filters, it reduces the unpleasant tobacco taste and makes cigarettes more appealing. As you would imagine, this makes it more likely for people to continue to smoke and remain addicted to cigarettes.
Menthol can change the way the brain registers the sensations of taste and pain. When put in cigarettes, menthol causes a cooling sensation in the throat and airways, making the smoke feel less harsh and easier to inhale. Menthol can also suppress coughing, giving smokers the illusion of breathing more easily.
In addition to cigarettes, menthol is also used in other tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, hookah, smokeless tobacco, cigars, and nicotine pouches.
Almost all the cigarettes sold in the United States contain some menthol. However, there is a higher content of menthol in those cigarettes marketed as menthol cigarettes.
Studies show that people who smoke menthol cigarettes tend to inhale more deeply. This may be because of the minty taste and cooling effect from menthol. The menthol flavor also covers up the harsh taste of cigarettes smoke. People who smoke menthol cigarettes have a harder time quitting. Sadly, menthol cigarettes are also quite popular amongst teenage smokers. Over half of cigarette smokers between the ages of 12 and 17 years smoke menthol cigarettes.
If you smoke menthol cigarettes, you are likely to take in more of the nicotine, toxic chemicals and tar. These reasons also make it more likely for you to get addicted and also harder for you to quit cigarettes. It also means means you can have more negative effects from smoking and greater damage to your body.
Studies show that young people who start smoking menthol cigarettes are more likely to get addicted to cigarettes. Nicotine is the addictive drug in cigarettes and other tobacco products but menthol enhances the effects of nicotine on the brain and makes cigarettes more addictive.
People who smoke menthol cigarettes are less likely to successfully quit than people who smoke non-menthol cigarettes. Tobacco companies have relied on the soothing and cooling effects of menthol to make cigarettes more appealing. Flavors, including menthol, are one of the primary reasons kids start using tobacco products.
Despite some marketing messages claiming menthol cigarettes are smoother and safer, they offer no health benefits compared to non-menthol cigarettes. Rather, they have been found to increase both the likelihood of you becoming addicted and also the degree of addiction.
It is also important to always remember that there is no safe tobacco product. Whether you vape, smoke, or chew tobacco, the best way to protect your health is to quit.
