A study recently published in Tobacco Control journal says menthol cigarette smokers had a higher risk of dying from any health cause compared to non-menthol cigarette smokers, in what the researchers claim is the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind.
The report said, among former smokers, those who smoked menthol cigarettes showed:
- 12% higher risk of death from all causes
- 16% higher risk from cardiovascular diseases
- 13% higher risk from coronary artery disease
- 43% higher risk from other heart diseases
“Mortality risks were shown to be especially high for individuals who quit smoking or smoked 40 or more menthol cigarettes per day,” the study said. “In addition, Black Americans who currently smoke menthol cigarettes face an 88% elevated risk of mortality from some heart diseases compared to those smoking non-menthol cigarettes.”
While smoking rates have declined overall, the study said menthol cigarettes continue to rise in popularity with Blacks, women, and youth. “Menthol cigarettes represented 36% of the market among major manufacturers in 2022—the highest percentage since reporting began in 1963.” The popularity of menthol extends beyond cigarettes, with vape and flavored nicotine pouches also available.
For the report, researchers followed nearly a million people from the Cancer Prevention Study II, tracking their health over six years. Of the participants, 73,486 smoked menthol cigarettes and 281,680 smoked non-menthol cigarettes. In that time, 4,071 menthol smokers and 20,738 non-menthol smokers died.
