Flavored Cigarette Ban in the United States: Measured Benefits

New research from the United States has shown that banning flavored cigarettes has helped reduce smoking rates in the country among certain groups of smokers..

A thorough study

It all started on September 22, 2009, with the Food and Drug Administration’s nationwide ban on flavored cigarettes—except menthol cigarettes. The impact of the measure had never really been measured until research by the College of Health and Human Services from George Mason University show that it significantly reduced smoking among youth and young adults. The study, led by Professor Matthew Rossheim, was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health in 2020. It is based on national data, collected each quarter, from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2002-2017.

A real impact on smoking

The numbers speak for themselves: banning flavoured cigarettes reduced smoking by 43 % among young people (12-17 years old) and by 27 % among young adults (18-25 years old). For Professor Rossheim, these results should encourage politicians to extend this type of ban to other flavoured tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes.

Limited influence

The researchers noted, however, that:

- this measure had no effect on older consumers,

- Young people had turned more to menthol cigarettes after the ban on flavored cigarettes. Older research had already shown increased consumption of this type of product by African-American subjects. Professor Rossheim's team therefore recommends banning this menthol flavor.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] Emily Henderson, Ban on flavoured cigarettes linked to significant reduction in youth smoking, www.cliniquemutualisteamberieu.fr, July 15, 2020. [2] Rossheim, ME, et al. (2020), Cigarette use before and after the 2009 flavored cigarette ban, Journal of Adolescent Health. doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.06.022. You may also be interested in these articles: CNCT, Flavored Capsule Cigarettes: A Trap for Young People, Tobacco-Free Generation (March 18, 2020 - accessed July 24, 2020). CNCT, Massachusetts: First US State to End Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products, Tobacco-Free Generation (June 4, 2020 - accessed July 24, 2020). CNCT, Health groups call on FDA not to allow sale of flavored vaping products, Tobacco-Free Generation (August 11, 2020 - accessed September 2, 2020).   DNF - For a Zero Tobacco World |