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Menthol Cigarettes
A lot of my friends who smoke/d menthols tell me that they ended up having really bad reactions to the cigarettes. For instance one of them may have throat cancer and she is only 24. Another started hacking up bright red blood. The symptoms completely went away when both of these people started smoking something that is not menthol. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Menthol
Menthol is another common flavoring agent in cigarettes (see Table 2).[10] Menthol is derived from plants in the Labiatae or Lamiaceae (mint) family. Menthol is a component of Menthe piperita (peppermint) and is the main ingredient in peppermint oil.[14]
Several case reports have highlighted menthol as a potent allergen. Camarasa and Alomar reported on a 26-year-old female who presented with a 2-year history of scaly lesions with erythema, concentrated around her mouth, upper lip, and dorsal central fingers.[15] She revealed that she smoked various brands of menthol cigarettes but did not use any other products containing mint. The authors stated that she had had positive patch-test reactions to menthol and essence of mint, indicating ACD from menthol. After she stopped smoking menthol cigarettes, her lesions completely cleared.[15]
Wilkinson and Beck reported on a 64-year-old female who presented with a 2-year history of cheilitis and a 62-year-old man who presented with an 18-month history of dermatitis on his upper lip. In subsequent patch testing, the female subject had positive reactions at 48 hours to menthol (in its natural and synthetic forms), peppermint, peppermint oil, colophony, balsam of Peru, and fragrance mix. The male subject had positive patch-test reactions at 48 and 96 hours to natural and synthetic menthol, synthetic and natural peppermint, and peppermint oil. Both patients had negative patch-test results with other components of peppermint oil (i.e., cineole, a-pinene, and l-limonene), leading the researchers to conclude that menthol and not some other component of peppermint oil was the source of the patients' ACD.[16] These case reports indicate that menthol could be a potential allergen in cigarettes.
Menthol is another common flavoring agent in cigarettes (see Table 2).[10] Menthol is derived from plants in the Labiatae or Lamiaceae (mint) family. Menthol is a component of Menthe piperita (peppermint) and is the main ingredient in peppermint oil.[14]
Several case reports have highlighted menthol as a potent allergen. Camarasa and Alomar reported on a 26-year-old female who presented with a 2-year history of scaly lesions with erythema, concentrated around her mouth, upper lip, and dorsal central fingers.[15] She revealed that she smoked various brands of menthol cigarettes but did not use any other products containing mint. The authors stated that she had had positive patch-test reactions to menthol and essence of mint, indicating ACD from menthol. After she stopped smoking menthol cigarettes, her lesions completely cleared.[15]
Wilkinson and Beck reported on a 64-year-old female who presented with a 2-year history of cheilitis and a 62-year-old man who presented with an 18-month history of dermatitis on his upper lip. In subsequent patch testing, the female subject had positive reactions at 48 hours to menthol (in its natural and synthetic forms), peppermint, peppermint oil, colophony, balsam of Peru, and fragrance mix. The male subject had positive patch-test reactions at 48 and 96 hours to natural and synthetic menthol, synthetic and natural peppermint, and peppermint oil. Both patients had negative patch-test results with other components of peppermint oil (i.e., cineole, a-pinene, and l-limonene), leading the researchers to conclude that menthol and not some other component of peppermint oil was the source of the patients' ACD.[16] These case reports indicate that menthol could be a potential allergen in cigarettes.
I hear nicotine is the hardest drug to quit, so I guess I'm not really surprised. I also have a friend who had a lung collapse who is still a chain smoker. I don't understand the decisions other people make but I guess it is their's to make. I prefer Turkish Silver's myself.
I've never smoked anything BUT menthol. I've never had a bad experience like your friends, but I have heard the menthol is worse compared to regular cigs, but then again, there is no "safe" cigarette.
That's amazing your friends had such serious reactions and then went back to smoking! Seriously?
That's amazing your friends had such serious reactions and then went back to smoking! Seriously?
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