Menthol cigarettes are in high demand among smokers, including very young ones, as the cooling flavor reduces the harshness of tobacco smoke and suppresses coughing. This creates a dangerous illusion that menthol cigarettes are safer than regular cigarettes. A new study clearly shows what effect can be obtained by completely banning them. wp-content/uploads/2023/04/7d13e4c197c2b318a4ef5b63ae0c8d4c.jpg» />
Last spring, the American Academy of Pediatrics petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban menthol cigarettes because they are in high demand among children and teenagers. The FDA said that this measure can be implemented, but only if its effectiveness is scientifically confirmed.
To present this evidence, scientists at the University of Michigan created a simulation model of current trends in the consumption of different types of cigarettes. They developed a hypothetical scenario for a ban on menthol cigarettes starting in 2021, based on an expert assessment of the potential impact of smoking on public health. The researchers then compared the difference between mortality and the cumulative number of years of life lost until 2060 with and without the ban.
How to quit smoking?
<
Quitting smoking is easy, we've all done it a hundred times. And yet, how to give up addiction forever?
Read article
Scientists have found that phasing out menthol cigarettes will reduce US smoking by 15% by 2026. The number of deaths among smokers will decrease by about 5%, and the number of years lost by 8.8%. Within 40 years, at least 650,000 American lives will be saved by banning menthol cigarettes. p>»The results show that a menthol ban will promote smoking cessation, or the transition to safer products such as e-cigarettes,» the authors of the study said.