Study Shows Menthol is Used to Hook the Youth

CHICAGO, July 16 (Reuters) - Tobacco companies manipulate the amount of menthol in cigarettes to make those first few puffs more palatable to young smokers, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday in a finding that could fuel support for more tobacco regulation.

"Menthol stimulates the cooling receptors in the lung and oral pharynx," said Dr. Gregory Connolly of the Harvard School of Public Health. "It makes smoking easier."

I always knew Big Tobacco did whatever was in their arsenal to hook their victims, but is there a comprehensive study on just what exactly they put into cigarettes? And how exactly that something so lethal is okay but marijuana is not? On what basis does Big Tobacco defend themselves when brought to court?

These days they are assuredly losing steam and popularity around the world, with places banning cigarettes and others talking about banning it from public period... they must be involved in recuperation plans in which to fight back.

Any thoughts on this?

I agree with you about Marijuana.

I think because prolonged use of Marijuana causes brain damage, people want it banned... however, Tobacco causes myriad problems that I consider worse, lung, throat, mouth cancers, as well as emphysema, blocked arteries, etc.

The problem is cutting Marijuana with Tobacco that makes MJ addictive.

I know of one person who has serious mental problems resulting from Marijuana abuse, he suffers from paranoid delusions and believing that he is someone other than himself.

So while I don't condone the prolonged use of Marijuana, I think every now and then doesn't hurt anyone.

Medically it has been shown to help people, so.. /shrug.

reply to post by Vilyariel


[snip]
The other thing is, tobacco tax raises a lot of money for the govt. Same with alcohol. Alcohol kills more people every year than all the illegal drugs combined. That's how you can watch an add that says "don't do drugs", and then straight after it will be an ad for budweiser! What they mean is, don't do drugs that aren't taxed!
Drink breaks up a lot of families, abusive relationships, road deaths, violence, liver failure, brain damage...even cancers. But it's acceptable.
Smoking tobacco on the other hand, although as fatal a pastime as you could have, doesn't really affect anyone. The supposed data on second hand smoke is pretty dubious, and sponsored by those with an interest in it's banning. Tobacco has a very minimal psychological impact, too.
I would rather see drink banned than smoking. Actually, they should ban cigarettes, and let people have either cigars, or snus, or those nicoteen patches, lol! End of list. Cigarettes are just nasty.
The last time I looked up cigarette additives, they were up to 164. There was stuff like arsenic and embalming fluid and rodent droppings in them. Very tasty. Just makes you want to light another!
[snip]




Mod Edit - removed drug references.

The Discussion Of "Illegal Activity" On The Above Network Sites (ATS, BTS, AP).

[edit on 17-7-2008 by elevatedone]

Another thing...If the big tobacco firms wanted to hook kiddies, they would make bubblegum flavor cigarettes. Not menthol. Menthol only disguises the tobacco taste for the people who like nicoteen and smoking, but not the taste of the tobacco. I started smoking at 15, and never ever ever did i ever see anyone that smoked, in my age group, smoke menthol. It was almost always middle-aged women. Only time I ever saw a youngy smoke a menthol, was when they had run out, and had to steal one off their mom!
I call shenanigans on that 'scientific' 'news' story.

Do any of ya'll remember the bubblegum cigarettes that puffed some white powder out when you blew on it? I used to get those all the time.

Those are some crazy stories cruzion. I hear ya that menthol doesn't work in the way they say in this report, but the quote that I took from it was interesting... how it stimulates the cooling receptors. Pretty interesting stuff. If they made marijuana legal, they could tax that too (responding to your point about taxes helping the government).

164 additives??? Those are probably only the ones they admitted to

Where I grew up in Oakland, it was mostly my black friends who smoked menthols. I can't say from personal experience that menthol made smoking more appealing at a younger age, so my own experience goes against this article. I feel you on running out and having to smoke a menthol

They should tax MJ! Then they can regulate quality. In fact, they need to legalise all drugs. Then they can regulate content, supply, AND take the profits away from the criminal gangs. If every buyer is registered, and has to renew license every 1-3 months to be able to purchase drugs, you can keep an eye on their health. If they fail health inspection, no drugs purchase license, and a treatment program. Drugs would be pretty cheap, by comparison to illegaly obtained ones, and not have impurities in them. The huge profits that the govt makes from the drugs, which are very cheap to produce, can go towards rehab facilties, public healthcare, studies, psychologists, etc. It would save a ton of money in the war against drugs, because the bottom would fall out the illegal market. No one will import drugs, as they are cheaper and better quality from govt. That will destroy cartels profits, and seriously hinder their operations.
They need to make me the drug tzar! I'd fix this system so it's better for everyone.

Well, that's what got me smoking. New Port cigarettes are the reason I smoke today. I mean I usually smoke Marlboro 100's or rolled cigarettes now, but New Ports are how I developed a habit.

Has anyone tried the new Camel Frost cigarettes? They are peppermint flavored and taste and smell like candy. If this isn't hookin the kiddies, I dunno what is.

Originally posted by Mad_Hatter
Has anyone tried the new Camel Frost cigarettes? They are peppermint flavored and taste and smell like candy. If this isn't hookin the kiddies, I dunno what is.

Yeah, Camel is one of those cigarettes that seems to come out with some new flavor every week. I go into convenient stores and look at the cigarette rack and I generally see a whole row of Camels with nothing but different kinds to smoke. Hmmmmm..

Originally posted by astronomine


Where I grew up in Oakland, it was mostly my black friends who smoked menthols. I can't say from personal experience that menthol made smoking more appealing at a younger age, so my own experience goes against this article. I feel you on running out and having to smoke a menthol

This is something I wanted to bring up as well. I'm from SC and all the black people I ever knew who smoked all smoked Newports. For those not in the know, these are menthol cigs. Never Camels, Marlboros, Dorals, always Newports. Even most of the ads (I'd say 60%) featured black models. So why do black people gravitate towards menthols?

There is a move to ban "flavored" cigarettes.

But during discussions "menthol" flavors would not be a part of the ban.

The reason? Blacks like menthol so it would be racist to ban them???

Originally posted by Vilyariel

I agree with you about Marijuana.

I think because prolonged use of Marijuana causes brain damage, people want it banned... however, Tobacco causes myriad problems that I consider worse, lung, throat, mouth cancers, as well as emphysema, blocked arteries, etc.


So while I don't condone the prolonged use of Marijuana, I think every now and then doesn't hurt anyone.

Medically it has been shown to help people, so.. /shrug.




also,,, most don't smoke a pack or two of joints a day---and mary j doesn't have over 3000 chemicals in it


and.....

nj just outlawed flavored cigarettes,,like chocolate, strawberry etc-----obviously aimed at kids,,like candy sweet and tasty

and while i see it's bad and targeting kids,,,,,what about flavored vodkas which come in a multitude of flavors like chocolate strawberry, cherry etc etc

is that not aimed at kids as well,,,,,why isn't this banned as well,,,the saying what's good for the goose,, good for the gander

why the double standard here in nj

also--bringds to mind joe camel---as a kid i did love those ads and actually still have a few i collected


my one argument for big tobacco-----they shouyld still be able to advertise in motorsports-----nascar "winston cup,,, and drag racing,,, the ultimate motorsport,,, haven't been right or the same since they left

It seems that... any sort of flavoring, or added incentive to buy any poisonous product are pretty bad. I guess what separates this case from other products that are bad for you is that... cigarette companies know exactly what is in their product and what it does, and none of it is good. So if a product does absolutely nothing and is getting banned from all sorts of places, what is the future for the cigarette industry?

Are they bankrolling any politicians or parties in power? Are they owned by elite families, and thus will never be exterminated? Because after all these years, they are still good. I suppose as long as the demand is there, they will always make it even if everybody knows they are death dealers.

With that said, I could use a cig break right now. They got my a** years ago.