Menthol cigarettes to be banned next week

Law to stop the young being lured into smoking by ‘flavoured’ tobacco

MENTHOL cigarettes will be outlawed next week as a way to cut the numbers of people smoking.

The UK-wide ban on the mint-flavoured cigarettes will also apply to hand rolling tobacco with mentholated filters or papers – if they come in the same product.

The hope is that by ending the sale of cigarettes with a ‘characterising flavour’ other than tobacco, fewer young people will be lured into taking up the habit.

The strict legislation – which stems from new EU Tobacco Product Directive laws – is part of the Government’s drive for a smokefree society by 2030.

The law was passed in 2016 and comes into force next Wednesday.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on smoking and Health, said: ‘The evidence is clear that menthol makes it easier for young people to start smoking because it masks the harshness when they first try to inhale, enabling them to inhale more deeply and get more addicted.

‘Many smokers think because they’re less harsh they’re less harmful but it’s not the case.

‘stopping the sale of menthol cigarettes will deter young people from starting smoking and help adult smokers quit. This will help the Government reach its ambition for a smoke-free England by 2030, which is defined as smoking rates below 5 per cent.’ shyam Morjaria, medical director at Nottingham-based UK Meds, which sells products to help customers quit smoking, said: ‘Menthol was first added to cigarettes in the 1920s and the products were initially marketed as being healthier and safer, with their “cool and refreshing” taste being emphasised.

‘However, like other cigarettes, menthol cigarettes harm nearly every organ in the body. As well as a list of short-term problems, such as teeth discoloration, loss of taste and bad breath, they cause long-term issues like lung disease, heart disease and a variety of cancers.’

Research shows menthol cigarette use is significantly more common among newer, younger smokers. There is greater risk of progression to regular smoking and nicotine dependence for those who start smoking menthol cigarettes compared to those starting with a non-menthol version, scientists say.

In 2018, a study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information in Maryland, Us, showed around 12.4 per cent of smokers in England indicated menthol as their usual brand, with an added 2.2 per cent indicating other flavoured cigarettes.

Cigarette companies have found ways around the ban, however. Japan Tobacco has introduced a menthol cigarillo – cigars do not face the same restrictions as cigarettes – and another, Imperial Tobacco, has brought out a menthol-infused card which can give cigarettes a menthol flavour when inserted in a packet.