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Menthol is a type of alcohol found in oils extracted from mint plants (such as peppermint). Although some tobacco products are flavored with natural menthol, most menthol cigarettes — and cough drops and candies — use a synthetic version. About 90 percent of all cigarettes contain trace amounts of menthol,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], but only mentholated varieties contain enough of the flavor for it to be noticeable.
Tobacco companies have touted the “cooling” and “soothing” properties of menthol cigarettes since the 1920s — and that’s true, in a sense. Menthol is a mild anesthetic that excites cold receptors in the mouth, throat and airways,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], causing a slight numbing sensation that can make tobacco smoke seem less harsh. (This may be why menthol is added to regular cigarettes.) “Mentholated products of all types, whether taken orally or inhaled,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], are better tolerated,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],” says Hicks. “There’s less irritation and, over the short term,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], some soothing effect.”
WASHINGTON – A U.S. scientific panel this month will weigh the controversial role of popular menthol flavoring in cigarettes in the first public meeting on tobacco products since a new law granted regulators power over the industry last year. Over two days, the Food and Drug Administration‘s panel of outside experts will look at the health impact of the mint-like additive on smoker’s use as well as addiction and health, with another meeting set later this year, the FDA said on Monday.
The panel’s findings and any possible regulatory action against menthol could be a potential blow to Lorillard, the nation’s third-largest cigarette company and maker of the top-selling menthol brand,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Newport. “It’s the beginning of a long, slow funeral procession for menthol,” said healthcare analyst Ira Loss of Washington Analysis Corp. Lorillard, which also makes Kent, Maverick and True brand cigarettes, had no comment on the FDA meeting.
On Tuesday, however, Lorillard announced the first nonmenthol version of Newport in the brand’s 53-year history. Although Lorillard makes other nonmenthol brands, including Kent, it has specialized in Newport and sells 35 percent of all menthol cigarettes — a niche that accounts for 29 percent of all cigarettes sold in the country. The Food and Drug Administration is working on a report about the risks of menthol in cigarettes.
Specifically,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], it wants to know how the companies use menthol in their cigarettes, what research they’ve done on the physiological impact of menthol and details on how the companies market the products. Although the inquiry will concentrate on scientific issues, there also are sensitive matters that involve the people who smoke menthol cigarettes. For instance,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], African Americans — 12 percent of all smokers — account for more than 75 percent of smokers who prefer menthol cigarettes.