Californians Are Still Smoking Menthols After Flavored Cigarette Ban

California banned the sale of flavored tobacco in late 2022 in an attempt to combat the rising use of tobacco products and e-cigarettes, especially among young people. 

While cigarette sales have declined, this hasn't stopped some people from smoking menthol cigarettes. From May to June 2023, market research firm WSPM Group conducted a discarded cigarette pack audit that gathered data from ten major California cities. It was found that 14.1% of the packs were menthol, and another 7% were menthol workarounds that mimicked the process of adding menthol flavorings to the packaging, bringing the total of menthol-style cigarettes to 21.1%. Foreign and illicit sales increased, with 27.6% of the sample originating outside of the United States and 41.2% having the proper California tax stamp. While progress has been made to discourage people from continuing their smoking habits, there's still room for improvement to make the ban more effective. 

The fight against flavors

Concern over flavored tobacco has been brewing over the past few years, as it can make smoking look more attractive to younger demographics or people who've never tried tobacco. Insights from STOP highlight that it makes it likelier for people to become regular users and harder for them to quit. The menthol masks the unpleasant taste and smell of tobacco and provides a cooling effect, making the experience more appealing. The flavored tobacco ban aims to reduce the likelihood of people picking up and continuing the habit or veering smokers towards alternatives or quitting. Santa Monica Observer contributor Amber S. Jackson writes that even smelling the smoke can significantly heighten cravings and make it difficult to stay away from smoking. With no flavored products on the shelves and reduced exposure to them, smokers may experience fewer triggers and feel more motivated to change their habits. 

The rise of alternatives 

While some Californians are still finding ways to smoke menthols, the ban still has the potential to redirect smokers toward alternative products. Research published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal found that the menthol cigarette ban reduced menthol cigarette smokers' purchasing of cigarettes while increasing the purchasing of alternatives like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. These include nicotine gum, patches, pouches, lozenges, and more, all of which provide a similar nicotine experience without the harmful chemicals of tobacco and smoke. Nicotine pouches have gained much traction for this reason, as they come in various flavors and strengths but are lower-risk than cigarettes. Online retailer Prilla offers tobacco-free White Fox nicotine pouches, which deliver a fresh experience with flavors like Mint Slim 12 mg or Double Mint 12 mg. NRTs, like gum and lozenges, are designed to help smokers gradually lower nicotine consumption to aid in quitting. Blip nicotine gum and lozenges also come in minty flavors like Mint Freeze, and they're marketed and packaged to look more cool and appealing to consumers from younger generations. While menthols haven't been completely eliminated from California, smokeless and tobacco-free alternatives may see continued growth as people look for ways to quit or consume nicotine differently. To view these products, see https://prilla.com/us/white-fox-nicotine-pouches

A stronger response

California has doubled down on snuffing out the sale of flavored tobacco in the state. New legislation aims to add more penalties and restrictions on already-banned items. The new AB 3218 bill will create a list of all unflavored tobacco products permitted for sale in the state. This will make it easier to penalize the sale of prohibited products that are not on the list. Some companies have also been creating non-menthol tobacco products that mimic traditional menthols using a different chemical additive to sidestep regulations. The new bill aims to thwart the sale of these products, expanding banned flavors to include menthol-like products that have a distinguishable cooling sensation while consuming the product. Another bill, SB 1230, authorizes the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to seize illegal flavored tobacco products found during routine tobacco tax inspections. Though these bills can help strengthen the response against menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco products, there may still be challenges and pushbacks ahead. 

The future of flavored tobacco in California

Since menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco products make starting and continuing to smoke easier, they're profitable for tobacco companies. New products that can circumvent the ban may continue being developed. The industry has also delayed and challenged these bans before, so it's possible that stronger legislation can push companies to try and block them. These new bills also might not be as effective for controlling Californians' purchase of menthol cigarettes from outside the state or country. Even with stronger laws against flavored tobacco, many in the state and nationwide are still seeking a federal ban. Despite these challenges, the flavor ban has still produced promising results. It's much more difficult to find flavored tobacco products for sale, which can encourage smokers to quit or look for reduced-risk alternatives. Non-smokers may feel less enticed by unflavored products and may decide not to pick up the habit. There's still much work to be done, but the outlook is hopeful. 

This article was provided to the Santa Monica Observer by an outside source. The information and opinions included are not necessarily those of the Observer. The Observer received no compensation for this article nor paid any.