Smoking Menthol Cigarettes Increases the Risk of Nicotine Addiction: Study

Menthol cigarettes increase the risk of nicotine addiction in teens and young adults, according to a new study.

The consumption of tobacco products and smoking cessation devices like electronic cigarettes and nicotine gums by adolescents and youngsters has  increased rapidly in the recent times. The trend in the use of cigarettes by the younger population alerted regulatory bodies and public authorities to curb the marketing and sale of tobacco products. Researchers from the University of Waterloo found the use of menthol flavoured cigarettes can elevate the chances of getting addicted to nicotine in youth.

"The appeal of menthol cigarettes among youth stems from the perception that they are less harmful than regular cigarettes. The minty taste helps mask the noxious properties, but the reality is that they are just as dangerous as any unflavoured cigarette," said Sunday Azagba, a scientist at the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact at the University of Waterloo, in a news release.

Their study examined smoking behavior in 4,736 high school students who were a part of Health Canada's Youth Smoking Survey in 2010 and 2011. Around 32 percent of the high school students in grades 11 and 12 reported smoking menthol cigarettes. The participants smoked 43 menthol cigarettes in a week on average compared to 26 cigarettes smoked by non-smokers. The menthol smokers were thrice likely to continue with the habit in the subsequent year.

The study also found that maximum proportion of adults who were heavy smokers picked up the habit during their teens.

"There is a growing concern that the high popularity of menthol cigarettes among youth may hinder the recent progress in preventing other young people from smoking because many of them may experiment with menthol rather than unflavoured brands," said Azagba. 

Menthol cigarettes are yet to be banned in the European Union member countries after the agency introduced the new Tobacco Products Directive in April this year. Around 90 percent of the cigarettes sold in the U.S. contain menthol.  

The authors believe these findings point at the dangers of smoking addiction in children and young adults. They urge for the introduction of new laws and public polices to control tobacco use.

More information on the research is available online in the journal Cancer Causes and Control.