Menthol cigarettes target teens, study finds
By Kate Lunau - Friday, July 18, 2008 - 0 Comments
teen smoking
New research from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that tobacco companies used menthol—an additive that can help mask the harsh taste of cigarettes—to hook younger smokers.
“For decades, the tobacco industry has carefully manipulated menthol content not only to lure youth but also to lock in lifelong adult customers,” said Howard Koh, associate dean for Public Health Practice at HSPH and co-author of the paper, titled “Tobacco Industry Control of Menthol in Cigarettes and Targeting of Adolescents and Young Adults,” which will be published in the Sept. edition of the American Journal of Public Health (and is now available online).
