Menthol cigarettes ARE more addictive: Teenagers who smoke them get through twice as much tobacco every week

  • Menthol cigarettes are directly linked to elevated nicotine addiction
  • The minty flavour gives teenagers the perception they are less harmful
  • Menthol users three times more likely to continue smoking in the next year

By Emily Payne for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

Young people who smoke menthol cigarettes smoke almost double the amount of tobacco, new research has revealed.

A study found that menthol users smoked an average of 43 cigarettes a week, close to double the 26 smoked by non-menthol users.

'The appeal of menthol cigarettes among youth stems from the perception that they are less harmful than regular cigarettes,' said Sunday Azagba, lead author of the study conducted at the University of Waterloo in Canada.

 Research shows that between the ages of 18 and 24 women are far less likely to smoke than men, with around a fifth of young women smoking compared to a quarter of men (file pic) 

 Research shows that between the ages of 18 and 24 women are far less likely to smoke than men, with around a fifth of young women smoking compared to a quarter of men (file pic) 

Published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control, the study also found that menthol smokers were almost three times more likely to say that they intend to continue smoking in the next year.

Previous research has shown that most long-term adult smokers take up the habit during their teenage years.

The national Youth Smoking Survey has found that 32 per cent of smokers in Canadian high schools smoke menthols.

'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 Mr Azagba.

Health risks: Menthol smokers found to be almost three times more likely to report that they intend to continue smoking in the next year

Health risks: Menthol smokers found to be almost three times more likely to report that they intend to continue smoking in the next year

In July 2010, Canada banned the sale of flavoured cigarettes and blunt wraps - but not menthol cigarettes.

The province of  Alberta is the only place to include a ban on menthol cigarettes in provincial legislation, though it is not yet in force.

In April 2014, the European Union (EU) adopted a new Tobacco Products Directive that will see all 28 EU countries implement a ban on menthol cigarettes.

'Our findings indicate that youth smoking of menthol cigarettes is a serious concern,' said Mr Azagba.

'It's clear moving forward that we need new laws to ban all added flavours in all tobacco products.'

Research last year from the University of Buffalo found there had been an increase in menthol cigarette smoking among young people - and this was making it difficult to reduce the number of smokers.

The study found that among cigarette smokers, menthol cigarette use is most common among 12 to 17-year-olds – 57 per cent of smokers in this age group smoke menthol cigarettes compared to 30 per cent of older smokers.


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