|
5-HT2A
Registered: 01/30/10 
Posts: 1,794
|
Cancer risk no higher with menthol cigarettes, says study
#14170568 - 03/23/11 02:46 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42237299/ns/health-cancer/
CHICAGO — People who smoke menthol cigarettes are no more likely to develop lung cancer than those who smoke non-menthol varieties, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday in a surprise finding that could affect U.S. regulators' efforts to ban menthol-flavored cigarettes.
Scientists had assumed that adding menthol to cigarettes would expose people to more toxins and increase their cancer risk, but a large study of older adults in community health centers found the opposite.
"In fact, it was a bit lower in mentholated compared to non-mentholated smokers and there was no significant difference in the rate of quitting smoking," said William Blot of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, whose study appears in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Blot said the team was surprised to find that menthol smokers had a lower risk.
"It was about 30 percent lower," which he said in a telephone interview was "statistically significantly lower." "The hypothesis going in, although it wasn't well supported, was that mentholated might be more toxic."
Blot's team studied people aged 40 to 79 enrolled in a large, 12-state study who get their care primarily from public health clinics.
They identified 440 lung cancer patients and compared them with 2,213 people of similar race, age and sex who did not have lung cancer. They found there was less lung cancer and fewer lung cancer deaths among people who smoked menthol cigarettes compared with regular cigarettes.
For example, among people who smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day, menthol smokers were about 12 times more likely to have lung cancer than people who had never smoked, while non-menthol smokers were about 21 times more likely to have the disease.
Menthol cigarette brands have been rising in popularity with adolescents and the highest use has been among younger, newer smokers.
Blot, who has no ties with tobacco companies, said his study only looked at older smokers and could not address concerns that adding menthol to cigarettes made it easier for younger smokers to tolerate smoking.
Health advocates argue menthol flavoring masks the harshness of tobacco, making it easier to start smoking and harder to quit. Manufacturers say adding menthol does not make a cigarette more harmful or addictive.
Blot said the study helps lay to rest the question of whether menthol cigarettes are more toxic. "The answer is, no, they are not."
The second issue is whether menthol cigarettes may be more addictive. "Our data indicated there is no evidence that menthol smokers have a harder time quitting smoking," he said.
The study suggests menthol smokers smoke fewer cigarettes, not more, than regular cigarette smokers, Blot said.
Based on the study, Blot said he is comfortable saying menthol cigarettes are no more harmful than regular kinds, and they may be a bit less risky.
As for what the FDA should do, he said, "Our take on this is that smoking is bad. There is no doubt about that. We've known it for years and years. To single out mentholated cigarettes compared to other types of cigarettes may not be necessary."
|
masterfluffypants
The Psilocybin Psychospawn



Registered: 10/31/10
Posts: 3,312
Loc: Electric Ladyland
Last seen: 5 years, 3 months
|
Re: Cancer risk no higher with menthol cigarettes, says study [Re: 5-HT2A]
#14170618 - 03/23/11 02:54 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Newports FTW!
-------------------- "You ever have that feeling where you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?" "Mmm...All the time. It's called mescaline, it's the only way to fly."
|
llevitron
o¤o



Registered: 03/04/10
Posts: 84
Loc: Northeastern USA
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
|
Re: Cancer risk no higher with menthol cigarettes, says study [Re: 5-HT2A]
#14170672 - 03/23/11 03:00 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
I was under the impression they irritated the lungs more or something, as I know many people who smoke menthols who say they've coughed up blood a few times in the past... I've been a smoker of regular cigarettes for years and I've never coughed up blood... Plus, the general social rumor floating around is that they make your lungs bleed. I'm not sure of the amount of truth here, but it seems reasonable that it could. I don't know... I just never thought the question was, "Is the cancer risk with menthol cigarettes higher!?".... I don't know...
--------------------
|
llevitron
o¤o



Registered: 03/04/10
Posts: 84
Loc: Northeastern USA
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
|
Re: Cancer risk no higher with menthol cigarettes, says study [Re: masterfluffypants]
#14170683 - 03/23/11 03:02 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
masterfluffypants said: Newports FTW!
Hell no! Save your money and buy a bag of cough drops to mix in with regular cigarettes! But ALWAYS go for regular.... it ain't right otherwise!
--------------------
|
Shroomerette
Stranger
Registered: 10/12/10
Posts: 1,342
Loc:
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
|
Re: Cancer risk no higher with menthol cigarettes, says study [Re: llevitron]
#14170935 - 03/23/11 03:46 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
llevitron said: I was under the impression they irritated the lungs more or something, as I know many people who smoke menthols who say they've coughed up blood a few times in the past... I've been a smoker of regular cigarettes for years and I've never coughed up blood... Plus, the general social rumor floating around is that they make your lungs bleed. I'm not sure of the amount of truth here, but it seems reasonable that it could. I don't know... I just never thought the question was, "Is the cancer risk with menthol cigarettes higher!?".... I don't know...
I've smoke menthols for years and never coughed up blood, neither has my boyfriend (we smoke the same kind). I think that rumor is bs.
And I don't see why it "makes sense" that menthol would make your lungs bleed any more than regular cigs, if you look up medicinal uses of menthol it seems like menthol cigs ould be less likely to make your lungs bleed.
-------------------- Leaving the shroomery forever
|
masterfluffypants
The Psilocybin Psychospawn



Registered: 10/31/10
Posts: 3,312
Loc: Electric Ladyland
Last seen: 5 years, 3 months
|
Re: Cancer risk no higher with menthol cigarettes, says study [Re: llevitron]
#14173108 - 03/23/11 10:27 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
llevitron said:
Quote:
masterfluffypants said: Newports FTW!
Hell no! Save your money and buy a bag of cough drops to mix in with regular cigarettes! But ALWAYS go for regular.... it ain't right otherwise! 
Hahaha i actually quit smoking. And when i smoked i started with newports, but then i moved to Kite. Menthol Rollies were the shit and they were only $4 a pouch
-------------------- "You ever have that feeling where you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?" "Mmm...All the time. It's called mescaline, it's the only way to fly."
|
icanttype
Lurker


Registered: 11/18/07
Posts: 584
Last seen: 3 months, 2 days
|
Re: Cancer risk no higher with menthol cigarettes, says study [Re: masterfluffypants]
#14174117 - 03/24/11 04:05 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
|
|
when i started smoking it was newports, smoked for about 3 years and just quit jan 1st, but i never coughed up blood once while smoking newports they did seem more harsh than any other cigarette though
-------------------- GGTBod - "Sounds great, get trippin get naked and get animalistic make her laugh and piss all over you, i see no problems here "
|
|