Menthol cigarettes make up about a quarter of the $70 billion market for cigarettes. Big producers of menthol cigarettes include Newport maker Lorillard Inc. and Kool manufacturer Reynolds American Inc. Menthol is an additive that scientists say may mask the harshness of tobacco and in turn lure people to start smoking, concerns the Food and Drug Administration will grapple with over the next year as it considers whether to ban the flavoring.
In 2008, the rate of smokers 12 to 17 years old using menthol cigarettes rose to 48% from 44% in 2004, according to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA. Among 18 to 25 year olds, the rate jumped to 41% in 2008 from 34% in 2004. The report doesn’t break down the figures by number of users, but about 4.2 billion menthol cigarette packs are sold annually, according to government statistics.
Matt Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said this study adds “to the evidence that menthol plays a role in smoking initiation among kids.”
He said it sets off “alarm bells” because most cigarette smokers start as teenagers. “If menthol is increasing the number of kids who start, it’s increasing the number of people who will eventually die from tobacco.”
Tatarov Anton
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