The Food and Drug Administration is still no satisfied, however. The most popular flavor of cigarettes among teens, menthol, is still on the market. The Food and Drug administration, through the formulation and passage of this piece of legislation, was required to do research to prove that flavored cigarettes were preferred among young smokers. Among other startling statistics, they found that of middle school smokers, 60% smoked menthol.
So what do you think? Should menthol cigarettes have been banned with this legislation? Or is it ok they stayed on the market?
Since I am not a smoker I personally don't have a preference for either menthols or regular cigarettes, but I can see how menthols are making it easier for the younger crowd to start smoking. The majority of my friends who smoke, smoke menthols. If they have already gone through the process of banning other flavors, they should have banned menthols as well. However, I do feel that the ban on flavors and "light" labels on cigarettes will be effective. For instance, a lot of people "socially" smoke. They usually smoke every once in awhile with friends or when they go out. These people are the ones that are more likely to buy cigarettes that are either flavored or light. In an article from MSNBC.com, it said that tobacco companies were targeting social smokers with trendy brands. One example is a brand of cigarettes called, "Bright" that is for people "who enjoy the ritual of smoking, but who really don't enjoy the tobacco taste." What social smokers don't realize is that any method of inhaling smoke, whether it be frequently, infrequently, or second-hand, is very unhealthy. I feel that this new ban will keep social smokers from continuing their "hobby", and we may see a decrease in smoke-related illnesses.
ReplyDeleteArticle: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31332905/ns/health-addictions/
I think menthol cigarettes can be placed in a slightly different category than candy/fruit flavored ones. To me, it is like comparing gum to candy. While the candy cigarettes seem directly aimed at the younger generation (which is already highly disturbing), menthol cigarettes could be geared toward anyone and have been around much longer.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, like the junk food tax, cigarettes might be another "sin tax" that could be used to fund health care reform. Not only can it be used to deter people from smoking, but those who still decide to smoke will be paying to better other people's health.
When I look at campus it seems that more than half of students smoke cigarettes. I believe with everything you need a stepping stone to start and this ban is that stepping stone. Now that flavored cigarettes are banned, Menthol should be next. I do not smoke and have had the privilege hang around girls who also do not smoke cigarettes. But after reading this article I feel that if people want to smoke, they will smoke somehow. If flavored cigarettes are banned, people will just settle for menthol until they get use to it because they know it will probably be easier to have a substitute cigarette rather than not have none at all
ReplyDelete