Menthol cigarettes banned in the UK from next week in bid to stop youngsters smoking

Mirror (U.K.) ^ | 17 MAY 2020 | Chiara Fiorillo

[nickcarraway]

The ban - part of a European Union initiative to discourage young people from taking up smoking - will come into effect on Wednesday, May 20

Menthol cigarettes will be banned in the United Kingdom from next week in a bid to discourage young people from taking up smoking.

The ban - part of a European Union initiative - will come into effect on Wednesday, May 20.

Under the new directive, flavoured rolling tobacco and "skinny" cigarettes will be outlawed.

Experts believe youngsters use flavoured cigarettes as they relax airways and lower the severity of smoke.

While it is commonly believed that menthol cigarettes are less harmful than their regular counterparts, they are actually just as damaging to people's health.

The ban comes from the EU's new Tobacco Product Directive laws, which prohibit all menthol cigarettes.

In 2018, nearly one in eight UK smokers rated menthols their favourite.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of public health charity Action on Smoking and Health, told the Liverpool Echo : "Research shows that menthol in cigarettes makes it easier for children to try smoking and to go on to become addicted smokers.

"Getting rid of menthol cigarettes will reduce the likelihood of young people taking up smoking, and make it easier for smokers to quit."

Under the new regulations, no person may produce or supply cigarettes or hand rolling tobacco with:

(a) a filter, paper, package, capsule or other component containing flavourings;

(b) a filter, paper or capsule containing tobacco or nicotine; or

(c) a technical feature allowing the consumer to modify the smell, taste, or smoke intensity of the product.

According to Cancer Research, two-thirds of smokers start before the age of 18 with tobacco smoking causing an estimated 100,000 deaths every year in the UK.

[Minutemen]

You are supposed to smoke em in you lips not in your bum!

[shanover]

One day the UK will ban everything and then ban themselves. What a loser society. The sun set on them. It is sad.

[Jeff Chandler]

Now you tell me.

[Crucial]

I have always wondered what benefit liberals gained by banning cigarettes. Its nit like the Left cares about people and their health.

[JimRed]

It would be rayciss to do that here!

[Still Thinking]

But what will black people smoke? Racism!

[Still Thinking]

Disparate impact is all that’s needed to prove racist intent, so......