A new study by the American Cancer Society (ACS) has found that smoking menthol cigarettes is more dangerous than smoking regular non-menthol cigarettes.
The research shows that menthol cigarette smokers have a higher risk of dying from any cause, especially heart diseases and other cardiovascular problems. The study suggests that banning menthol cigarettes could help save lives.
Menthol cigarettes have long been a topic of concern for health experts. Menthol is a chemical added to cigarettes to create a cooling sensation, making smoking feel smoother and less harsh. This effect can make it easier for people to start smoking and harder for them to quit.
Because of this, menthol cigarettes have remained popular, particularly among young people and certain communities, including Black smokers in the United States.
The study followed nearly one million people who were part of the Cancer Prevention Study II, which began in the early 1980s. Researchers tracked their health over six years, focusing on how smoking menthol versus non-menthol cigarettes affected their risk of death. The study included 73,486 menthol cigarette smokers and 281,680 non-menthol cigarette smokers.
The results showed that people who smoked menthol cigarettes had a higher risk of death from heart disease and other causes. Among Black participants, the risks were even higher. Those who currently smoked menthol cigarettes had an 88% greater risk of dying from certain heart diseases compared to those who smoked non-menthol cigarettes.
One of the most concerning findings was that even people who had quit smoking in the past still faced increased risks if they had smoked menthol cigarettes.
Former menthol smokers had a 12% higher risk of dying from any cause, a 16% higher risk of dying from heart-related diseases, and a 43% higher risk of dying from other specific heart conditions, compared to those who had smoked non-menthol cigarettes.
The study also found that the risks were especially high for people who smoked heavily. Those who smoked 40 or more cigarettes a day had a higher risk of death if they smoked menthol cigarettes compared to non-menthol cigarettes. This suggests that the more a person smokes menthol cigarettes, the more harmful they become.
Despite these differences, the overall conclusion was clear: smoking any type of cigarette is dangerous. Both menthol and non-menthol cigarette smokers had about twice the risk of death compared to people who had never smoked. However, quitting smoking greatly reduced these risks for both types of cigarettes.
Dr. Priti Bandi, the lead author of the study, emphasized that menthol cigarettes pose a serious public health threat. Since menthol makes cigarettes easier to smoke and harder to quit, it increases the overall harm of smoking.
She stated that these findings highlight the need for stronger regulations to restrict or ban menthol cigarettes, both in the U.S. and in other countries where they are widely sold.
The study supports ongoing efforts to ban menthol cigarettes. Many public health advocates argue that removing menthol from the market could help prevent more people from becoming addicted and encourage current smokers to quit.
Lisa A. Lacasse, president of the ACS Cancer Action Network, pointed out that people trying to quit smoking need better access to support services, such as quitlines and medical assistance.
In summary, this study adds to the growing evidence that menthol cigarettes are especially harmful. Not only do they increase the risk of death from heart disease and other causes, but they also make it harder for people to quit smoking.
The findings suggest that banning menthol cigarettes could be an important step toward reducing smoking-related deaths. While quitting smoking is the best way to lower health risks, this research highlights why menthol cigarettes should be more strictly regulated to protect public health.
If you care about smoking, please read studies about smoking may increase heart disease risk by 200% and e-cigarette smoke may cause lung cancer and bladder disease.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the cause of weight gain after smoking cessation, and results showing smoking may cause white scars on the brain.
The research findings can be found in Tobacco Control.
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