FDA Study Reveals Menthol Cigarettes More Harmful than Other Cigarettes

The U.S Food and Drug Administration is now thinking of banning menthol cigarettes after releasing the results of their study on Tuesday which reveals the dangers menthol cigarettes versus their non-menthol counterpart.

The study found that new smokers find the menthol taste of these cigarettes appealing than others which make it easy for them start smoking and keep going. About 25 percent of the cigarettes manufactured have menthol flavor.

The researchers had observed that menthol smokers are more dependent on nicotine and has less chance to quit their smoking habits because of the addictive cooling sensation in their mouth.

The FDA had now requesting public opinions for the possibility of banning or at least limiting the amount of menthol present in the cigarettes. They would also want to study the marketing strategies being used by the cigarette makers to convince young people and the minorities to try smoking using menthol cigarettes as a starter.

On the other hand, anti-tobacco groups were disappointed about FDA’s decision because they believe that the agency already had enough proof to ban these cigarettes yet seem to be holding back.

"This additional delay will simply prolong the disease and death caused by menthol cigarettes, with particularly adverse consequences for youth and African-Americans who smoke menthol cigarettes at disproportionately higher rates," said David Dobbins, chief operating officer at Legacy, a tobacco research and public health advocacy organization, in an interview with Reuters.

However, some tobacco companies were relieved that the FDA has not made an immediate decision to ban menthol cigarettes. It is also remembered that the agency had received a recommendation from an advisory committee back in 2011 to ban the product in the market. Obviously, that was ignored since the agency has no obligation as well to adhere.

The FDA decided to initiate the study after being accused by the Indonesian government of illegally permitting menthol cigarettes to stay in the market while restricting the import of clove-flavored cigarettes from Indonesia. The ban was lifted after the World Trade Organization ordered the U.S to cancel the ban if they wouldn't ban menthol cigarettes in the country

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