Researchers Observe Increased Menthol Cigarette Use Among Youngsters in U.S.

Researchers of a new study have found an increase in the number of menthol cigarettes smoked by young adults in the U.S and suggest the banning of sales to reduce smoking.

Researchers have raised concerns about the growing number of young adults and high school students who have taken to smoking. Smoking continues to remain one of the biggest preventable causes of death, causing one in five deaths annually (i.e., more than 440,000 deaths per year, and an estimated 49,000 of these smoking-related deaths are the result of secondhand smoke exposure).

According to a new study, researchers from the University at Buffalo found an increase in the number of menthol cigarettes smoked by young adults in the U.S.

"Our findings indicate that youth are heavy consumers of mentholated cigarettes, and that overall menthol cigarette smoking has either remained constant or increased in all three age groups we studied, while non-menthol smoking has decreased," said lead researcher Gary Giovino, PhD, professor and chair of the University at Buffalo Department of Community Health and Health Behaviors in a press release.

Researchers of the study suggest banning sales of menthol cigarettes in an attempt to reduce smoking among young adults and teenagers. The results of the study also show that teenagers aged between 12-17 year smoke the highest number of menthol cigarettes (56.7 percent) followed by adults aged 18 to 24 years (45 percent) and lastly older adults (32.9 percent). The reason behind this, researchers speculate is probably because menthol use is often associated with being younger, female, and of non-white race or ethnicity. Researchers also found that among all young adults, the percentage of youngsters who smoked non-menthol cigarettes also declined, while menthol smoking rates increased.

"The FDA is considering banning menthol cigarettes, or other regulatory options," Giovino said. "This research provides an important view of the trends and patterns of menthol use in the nation as a whole. The FDA will consider these findings and findings from multiple other studies as it goes forward."

Giovino also said that banning of menthol cigarettes could help curb growing smoking rates among teenagers as it often acts as a start-up for teenagers beginning to smoke because the smoke is easier to inhale.

"This finding indicates that mentholated cigarettes are a 'starter product' for kids in part because menthol makes it easier to inhale for beginners," said Giovino. "Simply stated, menthol sweetens the poison, making it easier to smoke. Young people often think menthol cigarettes are safer, in part because they feel less harsh."