A recent research by a Harvard university team has said that Tobacco Companies are manipulating the level of Menthol in cigarettes. This is, obviously, being done to attract adults by making the product brand more appealing. However, cigarette industry has denied these charges.

Menthol is being used to increase the addictiveness of the nicotine though Menthol in itself is not addictive in nature. It decreases the harshness of smoke and changes its smell by making it more appealing. Menthol cigarette use among teens increased between 2000 and 2002.

A study published in the American Journal of Public Health has revealed that people, especially, adults like Menthol cigarettes. 43.8% of smokers in the age group between 12 and 17 used menthol cigarettes while 35.6% of 18 to 24-year-olds preferred it as per US smoker survey of 2006. The researchers analyzed about 580 documents from 1985 to 2007 to reach at the conclusion.

The Harvard researchers suggested actions against such firms which are targeting youth. They asked US authorities to tight regulation of tobacco use as it is making addicted to adult customers.  

The anti-smoking campaign group ASH, Amanda Sand ford said that flavored and mentholated cigarettes are not much popular in UK. UK companies, regularly, hold discussion with the government authorities about the regulation of contents of cigarette products. Such practice should also be introduced in US.