The end of menthol cigarettes can start your quit journey

Recent research has shown that nearly one-third of Australians who smoke daily are using cigarettes with a menthol taste. Some cigarettes have menthol added to the tobacco, while other products have tiny capsules in the cigarette filter (called crushballs) that, when crushed, release a chemical to flavour the smoke.

To understand the impact added menthol can have on people who use cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco, think about the way we use cooling lozenges and cough lollies to soothe a sore throat and disguise the pain. Menthol in tobacco works in a similar way, but by numbing and disguising the harshness of the smoke while not making it less harmful.

Flavourings like menthol make it easier for young people to start smoking and more likely for them to smoke into their adult lives, with potentially devastating risks to their health and their future. An estimated 66 Australians die from smoking every day.

Along with Australia, menthol additives are banned or restricted in the European Union and many other countries. Since Canada banned menthol additives in 2018, quitting attempts and success have increased for people who have used menthol products.

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What are the changes?

To help protect people from tobacco industry manipulation, the Australian government has banned:

• the sale of cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco that has menthol and other additives, including clove and rum flavouring

• cigarettes with flavoured crushballs, which hide the harshness of cigarette smoke

• use of words like ‘smooth' and ‘gold' on packs, because they create a false impression that some products are less harmful.

What if I smoke menthol cigarettes?

Without menthol and other chemical additives masking the harsh feel and taste of the smoke, all people who smoke will now feel the full harshness of the smoke.

But the end of menthol offers a great opportunity for people who smoke to make a clean start, swapping their usual routine for a quit journey.

Quit is here for all people who smoke and vape, including those who have used menthol products and are now thinking about quitting. There are useful resources to help wherever you are on your quit journey – from the first steps to making a plan and sticking to it through the tough times.

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