In 2010 a large group of scientists and many public health experts united into a bigger group which began to study the menthol in tobacco issue. After one year a 250-page report concluded clearly that “the removal of menthol cigarettes from the marketplace would benefit the public health in the United States.” However, it is not so easy to make a decision because on the other part a strong sustained idea was that if menthol cigarettes will be banned this will dramatically increase the illegal cigarette market.
Not at least, a warning signal and another big argument not to proceed was related to the foreseeable negative economical impact for some big cigarette brand manufacturers in the U.S.
A very delicate aspect of a regulation against menthol cigarettes is related to the demographic perspective: those cigarettes are favored by African Americans and teenagers. A well known fact is that about 80 percents of black smokers prefer menthol.
FDA is acting with caution. They don’t propose at this moment any specific restrictions but a public input over the next two months was initiated.
