Harvard University researchers claim
menthol masks the harshness of cigarettes and makes them more appealing to adolescents and young adults. The
BBC News reports:
They said industry documents showed US firms tested menthol levels for their appeal to different ages.
A leading tobacco company denied such product targeting, while anti-smoking groups said the strategy had not yet been tried in the UK.
The study, in the American Journal of Public Health, analysed a 2006 survey of US smokers, and found that significantly more adolescent and young adult smokers preferred menthol brands.
Between the age of 12 and 17, 43.8% of smokers said they used menthol cigarettes, as did 35.6% of 18 to 24-year-olds.
Cigarettes with higher levels of menthol have been available for many years, but these tend to appeal to older, established smokers.
In the past decade, brands with lower menthol content have been released, and gained a significant following among younger adults.
Hardly shocking; cigarettes, fast food, sugary cereals, and junk food—hook them when they’re young!
