According to a recent study conducted by Harvard School of Public Health cigarette making companies have used menthol to attract young smokers over time. These researchers went thoroughly through the documents of cigarette manufacturers and found that milder brands with lower menthol levels appealed to younger smokers and then they marketed milder products to young consumers.

 

The research shows, how tobacco companies changed the menthol level in cigarettes catering different age group consumers. Also, companies targeted youths with low menthol level and elders with high menthol level. Once youths were hung with low menthol cigarette for sometime they would become lifelong smokers, reveals the study.

 

On the other hand William Phelps, spokesman-Philip Morris USA, said that the study's conclusions are not supported by the facts cited. Also, the study includes excerpts from several marketing documents and none of them talked about targeting youths or adolescents.