Flavors/Menthol

Adolescents who use smokeless tobacco are more likely to become cigarette smokers.

Back in the ‘80’s, a major tobacco company paid to go into inner-city neighborhoods and hand out free samples of menthol cigarettes in an effort to acquire African Americans as customers.
 

Stores near high schools with higher African American enrollment had more menthol cigarette advertisements and cheaper Newport cigarettes than stores near high schools with higher white enrollment.

Menthol cigarettes are easier to start and harder to quit.

After they were banned in 2009, Big Tobacco intentionally manipulated flavored cigarettes so that they could market them as “little cigars.” Real creative, Big Tobacco.

Fact: 81% of youth who have ever used tobacco started with a flavored product.