Should menthol be banned as a flavor under proposed FDA regulations?
How does this affect consumers?
Is it really just another flavor like strawberry or peach?
Does this start kids smoking or is this a myth?
Menthol & FDA regulation - just another flavor?
August 2nd, 2008 | Current Issues, Regulations: FDA etc. | Chris Crawley
6 comments ↓
The US market share for menthol cigarettes sharply increased during the 1960’s, but has fluctuated between 25% - 29% since 1973. See Table 7 at: http://www.ftc.gov/reports/tobacco/2007cigarette2004-2005.pdf
Thus, it doesn’t appear that menthol cigarettes are any more addictive than nonmenthol brands.
Before even considering a ban on menthol cigarettes, US Congress should first ensure that the FDA legislation truthfully informs the public about the different health risks of different tobacco products (i.e. smokeless tobacco products are less hazardous alternatives for smokers than cigarettes), and provide incentives for tobacco manufacturers to develop/market smokefree tobacco products to smokers as less hazardous alternatives to cigarettes.
I saw where the American Lung Association recently urged constituents to write to Reynolds American Inc to stop selling cigarettes with flavors like chocolate, lime, vanilla, watermelon and berry.
I may be missing something but can some one tell me where I can buy cigarettes being made by Reynolds that are flavored like mentioned. It seems to me that the ALA is just misleading it’s constituents. Oh and I guess if you challenge the ALA they probably just brand you as a pro tobacco supporter. But it just seems to me like here they go again just saying whatever the hell they want to say with no challenges. I see that Michael Siegel calls it purely political but isn’t this an old issue that just seems to be repeatly brought back by folks on a mis informed cause.
I mean what was/is the % of these types of flavors being sold. I just get tired of these rallying causes over something so insignificant!
I too would like to know where all those flavored cigarettes are being sold by Reynolds.
In an effort to get Congree to enact Philip Morris backed FDA tobacco legislation, CTFK, ALA, ACS and AHA have been trying to dupe the public and members of Congress into believing that:
- sales of flavored cigarettes (other than menthol) are enormous and have been sharply increasing,
- all flavored cigarettes except menthol are target marketed to youth (even though the market share among adults and teens for menthol cigarettes is far far greater than for all other flavored cigarettes combined), and
- all flavored cigarettes except menthol should be banned.
I’d like to know if anybody can reference where you can buy candy flavored cigarettes? Seems like Bill may be right in his comments about the anti’s misleading the government leaders.
I wish that people would really open their minds about what “flavored” tobacco really is. They are alternitives to an existing market. Just like the thousands of different kinds of alcohol. Could you imagine what people would say if they could only get one type of vodka, unflavored “malt beverages”, no more flavored beer…… Come on people WAKE UP!!!!!!!
I bet you those making these decisions probably start their meetings with a flavored cappucino!
Leave a Comment