Smoking Menthols — Going Up in Smoke?

The federal government looks to have taken another step toward banning the sale of menthol cigarettes.

Today, the United States Food and Drug Administration said menthol cigarettes may be an even greater health risk than regular cigarettes and suggested it's considering regulatory moves designed to restrict sales of the flavored smokes.

The agency's latest data show menthol cigarettes are more toxic or raise the potential of smoking-related diseases when compared to regular cigarettes, but instead suggest the flavoring enhances smoking addictions and makes it harder for cigarette users to kick their habits.

A preliminary assessment of possible health effects caused by menthol cigarettes concluded that menthol smokers "show greater signs of nicotine dependence and are less likely to successfully quit smoking."

Congress in 2009 granted the FDA the ability to regulate cigarettes. That same legislation banned the use of all flavoring in cigarettes except menthol, but then ordered the FDA's tobacco-products advisory committee to study the issue.

In 2011, that committee announced its findings that removing menthol from cigarettes would benefit public health, but stopped short of offering specific regulatory suggestions.

While the FDA's preliminary assessment said there is little evidence to suggest that menthol contributes to a greater risk of disease, "adequate data suggest that menthol use is likely associated with increased smoking initiation by youth and young adults," possibly because menthol helps reduce the "harshness of cigarette smoke."

Menthol cigarettes are the predominant choice among African-American smokers in the U.S., with an 80 percent of that consumer segment preferring the flavoring, according to government figures.

About 30 percent of all U.S. adults smoke menthol-flavored cigarettes, while more than 40 percent of youth smokers confirm using menthols.

The FDA said it plans to fund three more studies on menthol cigarettes, including one that examines genetic differences in taste perceptions that might explain why certain racial and ethnic groups are more likely to like menthols.

"Any decision on my watch will be based on rigorous science," said Mitch Zeller the director of FDA's Center for Tobacco Products.

Tobacco companies argue menthol cigarettes should not be regulated any differently than non-menthol brands. The summary of an industry report submitted to the FDA in 2011 asserted scientific data show no difference in disease, initiation, cessation or dependence between menthol-flavored and non-menthol cigarettes.

Before enacting any added menthol restrictions, federal authorities also would have to weigh the economic impact of a menthol clampdown, with industry opponents warning a ban would spark a massive black market.

With total U.S. retail sales of about $25 billion annually, menthol cigarettes represent a major source of federal and state tax revenue.

Earlier this month, a committee in the European Parliament forwarded a plan to ban menthol and other flavored cigarettes, but, just as in the States, the process of first gaining enough support from lawmakers and then passing menthol laws in the 28-nation European Union could also take years.