Menthol cigarettes and menthol rollies to be banned in Ireland this year

Menthol cigarettes, including menthol rollies, will be banned in Ireland from 20 May onwards.

The new restrictions come as a result of the four-year phasing-in period of the European Union Tobacco Product Directive, which places limits on the sale and merchandising of tobacco and tobacco related products in the EU. The directive does not allow for tobacco companies to modify the flavour of their cigarettes. According to the European Union's policy fact sheet, menthol cigarette use has been found to be significantly more common amongst newer, younger smokers. Studies undertaken by the EU's Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks have also shown that flavours such as menthol facilitate inhalation and may play a role in smoking initiation. Menthol cigarettes have seen their market share consistently grow since 2000, and accounted for 5% of all cigarettes sold in 2012. Now, it's bad news (depending on your outlook) for anyone who enjoys the flavoured cigarettes, as they won't be on the shelves from summer of 2020. According to the HSE, tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in Ireland with almost 6,000 smokers dying