A new study published today says that “banning menthol could avert as many as 633,000 deaths”.
FDA is currently seeking input from the public before finalizing guidelines restricting the use of menthol in tobacco products. The agency cites the need to prevent addiction and young experimentation, improve quitting rates among current smokers, and address health disparities. This FDA decision is supported by a nationally representative study of 1,092 teenagers in the United States, conducted between 2013 and 2019.
The paper was published today in the JAMA Network.
The study, led by researchers at the University of California San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, found that 56 percent of 12- to 17-year-old cigarette smokers smoke menthol, and that these menthol cigarettes have led them to smoke more frequently and become more dependent on nicotine.
“The ‘cooling’ sensation of menthol,” according to Eric Leas, study lead author, “masks the harshness of tobacco which can make cigarettes more palatable to youth. Additionally, this cooling sensation can allow smoke to be inhaled deeper and held for long, which can result in a greater absorption of nicotine per puff.”
“This may accelerate physical dependence to nicotine leading youth to smoke more often,” Leas added.
Data from the PATH longitudinal study, conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the FDA Center for Tobacco Products under contract with Westat, was used to compare the usage of menthol and nonmenthol cigarettes.
For youth who smoked, using menthol cigarettes was linked to smoking 2.8 more days in the last 30 days, a 38 percent higher chance of being a frequent smoker, and an 8 percent higher need for nicotine.
Over a 30-day period, youth who switched from menthol cigarettes to unflavored cigarettes smoked 3.6 fewer days, had a 47 percent reduced probability of being a frequent smoker, and had a 3 percent lower nicotine dependency.
About Menthol Smokes
Menthol is a naturally occurring molecule found in mint oils, although it may also be synthesized in laboratories.
Menthol contains pain-relieving and numbing qualities in addition to its “minty” flavor.
In the 1920s and 1930s, menthol was first introduced to tobacco. Menthol cigarettes are being used by about 18.6 million smokers in the United States.
Menthol products have been targeted at Black and LGBTQ+ people, as well as low-income populations. Menthol cigarettes are consumed by 85 percent of Black smokers, compared to 48 percent of Latinos, 41 percent of Asians, and 30 percent of white smokers. Menthol cigarette smoking has decreased among white kids, but has not decreased among Black or Latino children, according to the FDA.
Getting Closer to a Menthol Ban
Cigarette smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco consumption is linked to 1 in every 5 deaths. More than 90 percent of current smokers started when they were teenagers, with flavored tobacco products accounting for almost 80 percent of those who smoked tobacco.
According to senior author John P. Pierce, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, “banning menthol could avert as many as 633,000 deaths.”
“Our findings suggest that the addition of menthol to cigarettes is increasing smoking frequency and nicotine dependency among youth. Menthol cigarettes are also making it harder for them to progress towards quitting. These results provide strong support for the FDA-proposed ban on menthol flavoring in cigarettes to protect our youth.”
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