Estonian ministry wants menthol banned

The Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs is in favor of banning the sale of menthol cigarettes and requiring that graphic health warnings are included on cigarette packages, according to a story in the Baltic Daily.

The ministry last week declared its position in respect of the EU Commission’s proposed revisions to the Tobacco Products Directive.

It has forwarded its views to the working group of tobacco policy experts, which is due to report on its findings by tomorrow.

If accepted, the directive revisions would ban cigarettes with a characterizing flavor.

Ivi Normet, the ministry’s deputy secretary general for health affairs, said the only flavored cigarettes sold in Estonia were menthol products, which were very popular among women and young people.