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 A new CDC feature article highlights menthol
cigarette use in African American communities and the dangers of menthol.
This year, on May 15th, national organizations and faith communities are
marking the day as No Menthol Sunday to educate people who smoke menthol
cigarettes about their harmful effects and encourage them to quit.
No Menthol Sunday, an annual observance led
by the Center for Black Health & Equity, is an opportunity to engage
faith leaders and their communities in a discussion about how to improve
health and reduce health disparities for African American people. One way
to improve health is to encourage people who smoke tobacco products to
quit.
Tobacco product use remains a major contributor to the
three leading causes of death among African American people - heart
disease, cancer, and stroke. On No Menthol Sunday, faith leaders encourage
their congregations and communities to support one another in escaping
tobacco addiction. They also highlight the role flavored tobacco products,
including menthol, play in initiating tobacco use among people who do not
smoke, making it easier for some people to become addicted.
Although Black people try to quit smoking more often
than White people, they are often less successful. And people who smoke
menthol cigarettes may have more difficulty quitting smoking than people
who smoke non-menthol cigarettes. This could be because of menthol enhances
the effects of nicotine in the brain.
While quitting smoking can be a challenge, it’s one of
the most important steps you can take to improve your health. Quitting
smoking reduces your risk of heart disease, cancer, lung
disease, and other smoking-related illnesses.
To start your quit-smoking journey, make a plan. Your plan can include proven
treatments to help you quit, like counseling and medicines. Using
counseling and medicines together gives you the best chance of quitting for
good. Visit How to Quit Smoking for more information.
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