With their enticing cool and minty flavor, menthol cigarettes have emerged as one of the most controversial products made by the tobacco industry. Kids are particularly drawn to them, with nearly 45 percent of smokers aged 12 to 17 using menthol cigarettes, according to a 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Most black teenaged smokers — and 82.7 percent of black adult smokers — favor menthols, the same survey found.

“The manufacturers would have you believe there is not a scintilla of evidence that menthol is no more dangerous than other cigarettes to the individual smoker, but we do not agree,” said Ellen Vargyas, general counsel for the American Legacy Foundation, a smoking prevention and cessation organization in Washington, D.C., founded with funding from the landmark Master Settlement Agreement between the tobacco industry and state governments. “Over 80 percent of African-American smokers smoke menthol, and African-America smokers have the highest rates of lung cancer. We also know African-Americans with lung cancer are more likely to die from lung cancer.”

In addition, the popularity of menthols among younger, newer smokers suggests that maybe the minty taste does encourage people to start, perhaps by masking the harsh taste of regular cigarettes, she added.

“We know the younger you are and the newer the smoker you are, the more likely you are to smoke menthol,” said Vargyas. “There is a very strong correlation between being a teenaged smoker and menthol cigarettes.”

That’s no coincidence, say smoking opponents: The tobacco industry has long targeted youth and minorities for menthol cigarette marketing, even manipulating menthol content in different brands in an effort to recruit new smokers among youth, according to the National Cancer Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health.

The debate over how menthols should be regulated lit up again last month, during the second round of hearings held by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee.

The advisory committee was established by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in June 2009. The legislation gave the FDA unprecedented power to restrict the marketing of tobacco products.

While the law bans cigarette makers from adding candy or fruit-like flavors such as clove, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa or strawberry to cigarettes, legislators hedged when it came to menthols, the most popular flavoring by far.

Although menthol was not banned from cigarettes, the law stressed that nothing prevented it from regulating menthol as well. In fact, the act required the FDA advisory committee to consider menthol cigarettes impact on public health — including its use among children and minorities– as its first order of business.

During the first round of hearings in March, the advisory committee sought answers about the addictiveness of menthol cigarettes, whether they are more harmful than regular cigarettes and whether the flavor encourages kids in particular to take up smoking.

Anti-smoking advocates say there is no evidence that menthols — which account for an estimated 33.9 percent of the U.S. cigarette market — are less deadly than any other cigarette. Research from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, in fact, suggests that they are more addictive, making it harder for smokers to quit, particularly blacks and Latinos.

During the hearings, tobacco industry representatives defended their products, saying menthols are no more harmful than other cigarettes and should not be singled out for a ban.

“We don’t think there is any evidence or even any suggestion that youth would choose not to smoke if menthol products weren’t available,” said Bill True, senior vice president of research and development for Lorillard Tobacco Co., the makers of Newport’s. “Kids don’t smoke because there are menthol cigarettes. Kids smoke for a variety of reasons which are probably quite complex.”

“Cigarettes do pose significant dangers to an individual’s health,” True added. “In dealing with regulating the product, we believe the FDA should be looking at those things that are the most significant.”

On that point, anti-smoking advocates agree. Cigarettes are by their very nature a deadly product, and legislation to sharply regulate their manufacture, sale and marketing can’t come a moment too soon, said Vargyas.

Mitch Zeller, vice president for policy and strategic communications at Pinney Associates in Washington, D.C. and the director of the FDA’s Office of Tobacco Programs during the Clinton Administration, noted that there were some limitations to the family smoking prevention laws reach. While the FDA has far more power over the industry than before, it cannot ban all cigarettes outright, nor can it force cigarette companies to reduce nicotine levels to zero, he said.

However, he said, the legislation requires tobacco companies to disclose comprehensive information about the contents and manufacturing process for tobacco products. The tobacco companies, he added, have been less than forthcoming with their data about the marketing and manufacture of menthols.

“The industry presentation on the issues that matter the most — those related to marketing that influences kids and any issue related to the initiation of smoking — was non-responsive,” Zeller said. “The advisory committee is in need of more information to do its job.”

The FDA advisory committee has nine members and includes physicians, scientists and public health experts; the tobacco industry is represented by three non-voting members. The committee has until March 2011 to report its menthol findings to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The World Trade Organization (WTO) will issue a ruling on a dispute between Indonesia and the United States over a U.S. ban on clove-flavored cigarettes, Reuters reports. Indonesia alleges the U.S. is abusing health regulations as it bans clove cigarettes while allowing U.S. tobacco manufacturers to continue marketing menthol cigarettes.

In response, the U.S. maintains flavored tobacco attracts young people to smoking, and that the ban applies uniformly to clove cigarettes from all countries.

The WTO’s dispute settlement body agreed to establish a panel to rule on the dispute.

Indonesia said its clove cigarettes have been shut out of the U.S. since September 2009, and that it had been trying to resolve the issue. It said it could not wait for the U.S. to complete its review of menthol cigarettes, which is not expected until March 2011.

The U.S. imported $15.2 million of clove cigarettes, nearly all from Indonesia, in 2008, accounting for less than 0.1 percent of cigarette consumption at the time. Indonesia claims that menthol cigarettes now make up 28 percent of U.S. cigarette consumption.

Source: www.nacsonline.com.

The Tobacco act had forced the stores in Nanaimo to take the small flavored cigars and cigarettes off their display cases. Some retailers put the large flavored cigars in their place, as the law does not cover them. Terry McNabb, owner of the Subway Convenience Store on Departure Bay Road, revealed that it is a misuse of time and money. He revealed that the producers have put in more tobacco in cigars, in order to make them bigger. Also, they removed the filters and put flavors like grape and cherry in them.

McNabb revealed that he was aware that a ban is going to be imposed and, therefore, he had chucked out the stock a month ago.

Employee of Occidental Liquor Store on Selby Street, Jeannie McCormick, said that the flavored cigarillos are being sent back to the Companies and flavored cigars are taking their place.

She said that they were asked to get rid of the cigars with filters.

Gary Holub, a Spokesman with Health Canada disclosed that the law applies to small flavored cigars, flavored blunts and cigarettes. She stated that the law has ordered the store owners to keep this product out of the shelf because they were attracting the youth.

topnews.ae

With the potential restriction of menthol cigarette maker Lorillard Inc. is now protesting in defense of its Newport Brand, which it holds 35 percent share of the U.S. market. Launching a campaign, in the form of a Web site called Understanding Menthol, the company provides its position on the possible ban, along with the science that is under review by a federal advisory committee, and the consequences of a potential ban on menthol cigarettes. Studies, going against menthol, have cited that its usage only entices people to start smoking, which can result in health issues.

“We believe our customers need to be aware of this review process and the real-world consequences of whatever recommendation the panel makes to the FDA,” William True, senior vice president of research and development for Lorillard, said in a written statement to The Associated Press.
The company has also started issuing letters to smokers of the Newport brand to notify them of claims made by a U.S, Food and Drug Administration that cigarettes containing menthol have public health impacts. Lorillard Inc., also plans to utilize social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to keep in contact with users on the impending problem.
Adding menthol has served as a major factor in the growth of tobacco companies as the market continues to shrink.
According to Lorillard, they are under the belief that scientific evidence isn’t sufficient enough in showing that menthol cigarettes have greater health risks than cigarettes that don’t utilize the substance. They also believe that the ban will force users to find it from other means, such as the black market, which won’t meet basic product standards and create more potential harm for smokers.

From hiphopwired.com, June 30, 2010, By Justin T. Stewart

Anti-tobacco advocates are bracing for a counterattack from tobacco firms after Ontario and the federal government moved Tuesday to ban kiddy-friendly flavoured cigarillos. “Our work on this front is far from over. Some tobacco companies seem to be intent on manoeuvring around our health protection laws,” Ontario Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best warned in London, where she announced the ban. The ban takes effect July 1 and prohibits the sale and distribution of flavoured cigarillos, with the exception of menthol flavour.

The province also is requiring unflavoured cigarillos to be sold in packages of at least 20, the same as cigarettes, in an effort to make the little cigars unaffordable for young people.

Packaged like crayons and candy, the little cigars come in chocolate, grape, strawberry, cherry, bubblegum, pina colada and other flavours. Some retail for less than $2. Best said the products were clearly aimed at youth and children.

By changing the wrapping from paper to a tobacco product, the industry was able to have the flavoured cigarillos classified as a cigar, avoiding the packaging and warning requirements of cigarettes. Best said the Ontario law allows the government to change the definition of cigarillos if the tobacco industry changes the product to sidestep the legislation.

“My staff and I at the Ministry of Health Promotion are working diligently to ensure our efforts to protect young people are not thwarted by actions taken by tobacco companies to circumvent federal and provincial laws,” she said.

Middlesex-London medical officer of health Graham Pollett said the flavoured cigarillos appeal to young people who might think they are less dangerous than cigarettes. That is not the case, he said, warning the next tobacco product that will likely be launched in Ontario is snus.

Developed in Sweden, snus is moist tobacco contained in a small pouch placed under the lip. Although it is banned in most of Europe, snus is being marketed in the United States. Companies importing the product suggest it is a safer alternative to smoking.

An Imperial Tobacco spokesperson said his company supports the Ontario law’s intent.

“We believe kids should not be smoking at all, this is for adults that make a choice knowing the risks,” Eric Gagnon said.

But the ban will only add to the problem of contraband cigarettes, he said.

“Kids will still have access to those products cheaper than today,” Gagnon predicted.

Best said the province is concerned about illegal cigarettes and contraband tobacco. “It is a very complex issue which the government is dealing with.”

From lfpress.com, By JOHN MINER, June 30, 2010

Domestic and international tobacco growers are gathering in Jakarta today for a two-day meeting aimed at formulating a strategy to fight against the adoption of a ban on flavored cigarettes under the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Indonesian Tobacco Alliance (Amti) and the International Tobacco Growers Association, a US-based nonprofit growers association, on Sunday urged the Indonesian government and the governments of neighboring countries not to adopt Articles 9 and 10 of the framework that effectively ban flavored tobacco products.

Sudaryanto, the chairman of Amti, which organized the meeting, said banning flavored cigarettes could cost Indonesian growers up to $450 million per year and threaten millions of jobs.

He said an independent US ban on flavored cigarettes in place since last year had already cost growers here $270 million.

“If other countries across the globe take the same step, then we will bear bigger losses than that,” Sudaryanto said during an interview with the Jakarta Globe on Sunday.

“[Today] we will hold a meeting among tobacco growers and buyers in Asia, along with the ITGA, to discuss the plan to ban flavored cigarettes. Our goal is to urge the Indonesian government and other governments to think about the workers involved in the tobacco industry.”

Growers from countries such as Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines are expected to attend the event.

Indonesia produces about 250 billion cigarettes a year, and some 93 percent are clove cigarettes, or kretek . Exports of clove cigarettes to the United States were estimated to be $450 million to $500 million a year prior to the ban.

The US Food and Drug Administration banned flavored cigarettes in September, saying they encouraged younger people to smoke.

The Indonesian government has filed a formal trade dispute with the World Trade Organization in April, claiming the ban was protectionist because it did not include menthol cigarettes, most of which are produced in the United States.

There are 1.5 million clove farmers across the country and 3.5 tobacco farmers, based on Amti’s data.

ITGA president Roger Quarles said banning flavored cigarettes would cause the industry enormous pain.

“This will not only impact Indonesia, but also world’s cigarette industries,” Quarles said.

From thejakartaglobe.com, by Arti Ekawati, June 21, 2010

At least four groups are now questioning the credibility of a federal advisory panel created to study tobacco product safety, challenging two members with financial ties to drug firms that make smoking cessation products. At issue: Will the duo push to ban menthol ciggys and favor smokeless products?
The issue hit this week when the Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, filed a complaint against the FDA’s tobacco advisory panel for conflicts of interest since they have voting members who consult for pharmaceutical companies that work on nicotine delivery products to quit smoking.
The concern is that two members, Jack Henningfield and Neal Benowitz, have an incentive to favor smoking cessation products because they’ve advised drug firms on those products.

“This creates an obvious incentive for these members to ban menthol in cigarettes and create a multi-billion dollar market for more nicotine patches and gum potentially paid for by taxpayers,” says a critic. The menthol issue the advisory committee is considering is huge: Menthol cigarettes make up about one third of the cigarette market and eliminating them would likely shift users to smokeless products, say industry officials.

The FDA has rejected previous conflict charges and Benowitz told the New York Times this week: “My involvement with pharmaceutical companies is aimed at reducing the risk of smoking, quitting smoking. The aim of the committee is also to reduce the adverse health consequences of tobacco use.”

Besides the left-leaning CREW, the three other opposition groups are the Altria Group, the American Council on Science and Health, and the right-leaning Americans for Limited Government.

Bill Wilson of Americans for Limited Government said that having his and CREW oppose the two appointees on the panel shows how much of a concern there is.

“The odds may be greater of drawing a royal flush in poker than us agreeing on anything but we both know you the FDA shouldn’t have a stacked deck when playing with the taxpayers’ money,” he said. “However, two groups as disparate as ours, Americans for Limited Government, and CREW agree the FDA tobacco panel can’t possibly have a legitimate review of the science surrounding menthol’s use in cigarettes with multiple conflicts of interest by many of the panelists.”

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers, June 10, 2010, usnews.com

The Brumby Labor Government will ban the sale of lolly and fruit flavoured cigarettes in a new bid to further reduce smoking rates among Victorian teenagers. Announcing the ban today on World No Tobacco Day, Health Minister Daniel Andrews also launched new data showing smoking rates among Victorian teenagers had halved since 2002. “The Brumby Government has a long history of successful tobacco reforms, which are reducing the impact of tobacco-related harm particularly among children. Even though smoking rates among teenagers are falling, we are continuing to take action by banning the sale of fruit flavoured cigarettes in Victoria,” said Mr. Andrews.

Mr. Andrews said research has found that fruit and confectionary flavoured cigarettes were particularly appealing to young females.

“Research by Cancer Council Victoria shows that 40 per cent of 16-17 year olds females agree that lolly or fruit flavoured cigarettes like Kiss made them curious to try them, and one third of males indicated the products would tempt them to try cigarettes. This new ban will come into force to ensure teenagers do not start smoking through the lure of fruit and lolly flavoured cigarettes,” he said.

Mr. Andrews said the 2008 Australian Secondary Student’s Alcohol and Drug Survey showed smoking rates among students are at their lowest level in more than 20 years.

“Six per cent of 12-15 year olds and 14 per cent of 16-17 year olds are current smokers – half the number of teens who were smoking in 2002,” he declared.

“This means that there are around 9000 fewer young Victorians smoking regularly compared to 2005.

“This survey reveals that young people are more aware of the dangers of smoking, showing that the tobacco control initiatives of the Brumby Government and our partners have had a significant impact on smoking behaviours.”

Mr. Andrews said the ban on fruit-flavoured cigarettes built on the Brumby Labor Government’s long-standing commitment to reduce tobacco-related harm through legislative reforms.

“The Victorian Tobacco Control Strategy 2008-2013 has set an ambitious target to reduce the number of Victorian adults who smoke to 13.8 per cent by 2013,” he said.

“The Strategy includes a number of actions and legislative reforms designed to reduce childhood exposure to tobacco smoke, including a ban on smoking in cars when a person under 18 is present and a ban on smoking on government school grounds.

“In order to prevent the uptake of smoking by young Victorians we have also banned the sale of tobacco at temporary events and increased the fines for selling tobacco to children.

“The ban on the display of tobacco products in retail outlets commencing on 1 January next year will further protect them from exposure to tobacco marketing and promotion.

“We believe that these initiatives will further help to reduce the number of young Victorians who adopt the habit and make it easier to quit.”

Mr. Andrews said the 2010 State Budget provided an extra $3.5 million to Quit Victoria to support the Quitline service.

“This funding will enhance the current service through the employment, training and professional development of Indigenous Quitline Counsellors, support further Quitline data systems improvements and upgrade the telephone system, including voice-recording technologies,” he added.