News and Events
The Negative Effects of Menthol Cigarettes in Our Community
March 15, 2024
Menthol has been an ingredient added to cigarettes for the last 100 years and is one of the main reasons new smokers get addicted to cigarettes so quickly. Menthol is a cooling agent added to cigarettes that allows the usual burning sensation in a smoker’s throat from the cigarette combustion to ease off with the addition of menthol, that burning sensation is virtually none and allows the smoking of cigarettes to be a much more pleasurable experience for the user. Thus, menthol cigarettes are considered a greater risk to public health than non-menthol cigarettes due to these cooling properties that reduce the harshness of these products.
| In addition to the cooling effects of menthol in cigarettes it also has another main effect that aids in the addiction to these products for new users. Flavoring found in menthol allows the lungs to expand further than they usually would during an inhale, which in turn allows for more toxic addictive chemicals to be absorbed into the body. Menthol’s many properties makes it easier, more enjoyable, and more addictive which explains why among middle and high school aged students who smoke 1 in 4 are using menthol products. |  |
The Tobacco Free Partnership of Gilchrist County has started to try and raise awareness of the additional dangers that come with these menthol products within our community. The partnership has discussed concerns for the more disparate population in our county with local decision makers and other local coalitions who share the concerns of the possible threats these products can have to our population.
The Gilchrist TFP will be at local community events sharing more information from Tobacco Free Florida about menthol and all tobacco products and we hope to see all to see you out there to show your support for a healthier Gilchrist County in our future. One event we will be tabling soon is the Uplift Tri County event being held at Otter Springs April 5th from 9:00am-3:30pm. We hope to see everyone out there and would love to have fellow community members to join the partnership and join the fight against big tobacco to assure we have a tobacco free future for ourselves and our children.
