Menthol Cigarettes Linked to Higher Mortality Risks

Nearly 1 million people were tracked in a nationwide study, showing quitting smoking greatly reduces health risks from both menthol & non-menthol cigarettes.

Menthol cigarette smoking was associated with increased mortality risks for cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart disease, and death from all causes than non-menthol cigarette smoking, according to a major, nationwide study conducted by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

People who had stopped smoking and those who smoked heavily were clearly at higher risk. Black participants who currently smoked menthol-brand cigarettes had an 88% higher death risk and large elevations for certain heart illnesses. The study also demonstrated that stopping smoking significantly decreased the hazards to one's health from both types of cigarettes ().

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‘Menthol cigarette smokers face higher mortality risks than non-menthol smokers, especially from heart disease & cardiovascular conditions. #smokeing #quitsmoking #medindia’

Dr. Priti Bandi, scientific director of risk factors and screening research at the American Cancer Society, stated that menthol in cigarettes is a known public health hazard because of its impact on smoking cessation and smoking uptake.

It is time to control menthol cigarettes to save lives, as these findings also demonstrate distinct mortality impacts. Menthol cigarettes hold a significant market share in the United States and several low- and middle-income nations worldwide.

Mortality Risks of Menthol vs. Non-Menthol Cigarettes

Nearly a million participants in the Cancer Prevention Study II, a population-based prospective cohort that was enrolled in 1982–1983, were tracked by researchers for six years to examine mortality outcomes for the report.

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Baseline smoking status (current, former, never) and menthol flavor status (menthol, non-menthol) of the cigarette brand smoked for the longest duration were used to calculate the risk of mortality from all causes and cause-specific causes.

Among 73,486 participants reporting menthol brands and 281,680 participants reporting non-menthol brands, there were 4,071 and 20,738 deaths, respectively.

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Participants currently smoking menthol or non-menthol cigarette brands had similarly high mortality risks compared to never smoking (e.g., death from any cause was about 2 times higher), but quitting substantially reduced the risk of death from both types of cigarettes.

Among people who had quit smoking, a history of menthol versus non-menthol smoking was associated with an increased mortality risk of 12% from all causes, 16% from all cardiovascular diseases, 13% from ischemic or coronary artery disease, and 43% from other heart diseases.

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Among individuals currently smoking, there was no difference in mortality risks for menthol vs. non-menthol cigarettes, except for an elevated risk among those smoking 40 or more cigarettes per day and in Black individuals for some heart diseases.

Need for Stronger Tobacco Control and Cessation Support

“Continuing to smoke, whether menthol or non-menthol cigarettes, is the most harmful,” added Bandi. “These findings reiterate that quitting all cigarette types is the only safe option to reduce your risk of disease and dying prematurely.”

“Today’s study proves once again why policymakers need to enact comprehensive policies that help individuals who currently use quit and prevent youth and young adults from becoming addicted to tobacco products,” said Lisa A. Lacasse, president of ACS’s advocacy affiliate.

People who smoke deserve barrier-free access to comprehensive cessation services and support through quitlines, their healthcare providers, and state and federal programs.

ACS CAN will continue to work to increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs, end the sale of menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products, and enact other proven tobacco control policies, including comprehensive smoke-free laws and regular and significant tax increases on all tobacco products.

Reference:

New ACS Study Finds Menthol Flavored Cigarette Smoking Increases Mortality Risk vs. Non-Menthol Cigarettes - (https://pressroom.cancer.org/StopMentholCigarettes)

Source-Eurekalert