NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of tobacco companies fell Tuesday after a Food and Drug Administration review concluded that menthol cigarettes likely pose a greater public health risk than regular cigarettes.
Shares of Lorillard, the top maker of menthol cigarettes with its Newport brand, took the biggest hit among the U.S. cigarette makers following the news.
But the review does not make a recommendation on whether to limit or ban the minty smokes — one of the few areas of growth in the shrinking cigarette industry. The FDA said it's seeking input from the health community, the tobacco industry and others on possible restrictions.
According to the review, there is little evidence to suggest that menthol cigarettes are more or less toxic or contribute to more disease risk to smokers than regular cigarettes. But the data does show that menthol uses are likely associated with younger people taking up smoking and that menthol smokers have a harder time quitting.
There's also evidence indicating that menthol's cooling properties can reduce the harshness of cigarette smoke and that menthol cigarettes are marketed as a smoother alternative, the review said.
Meanwhile, the percentage of U.S. cigarette smokers using menthol brands grew from 33.9 percent in 2008 to 37.5 percent in 2011, according to a study by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, with more significant growth among younger smokers.
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