What Is a Menthol Cigarette?

The menthol in menthol cigarettes flavors the smoke when you inhale it. The menthol taste masks the taste of burning tobacco, producing a cooler flavor. Tobacco companies produce several alternative flavored cigarettes including clove, cherry and chocolate.

Study

• A 2006 Harvard University survey of U.S. smokers, analyzed by the American Journal of Public Health, showed that more adolescent and young adult smokers preferred menthol brands. Almost 44 percent of smokers between the age of 12 and 17 and 36 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds said they used menthol cigarettes.

Nicotine

• The Harvard University team said smokers inhale more nicotine because the menthol taste masks the harshness of the cigarette smoke. Anti-smoking groups oppose flavored cigarettes because they claim they attract younger people. Tobacco companies argue that menthol cigarettes are no more harmful than normal cigarettes.

World Health Organization

• The World Health Organization created the The Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) project in July 1998. The purpose of the project is to combat the use of tobacco and focus international attention on the habit that kills nearly 5 million people a year.