Why are menthol cigarettes worse for you than regular cigarettes?
Menthol is flavoring added to cigarettes which produces a minty taste and cooling sensation when inhaled. These flavor and sensory effects reduce the harshness of smoking, making menthol products easier to tolerate and more appealing to new and young users.
Research shows that menthol flavoring contributes to greater nicotine dependence, meaning that those who begin smoking menthol cigarettes have a much harder time quitting. This is because, in addition to nicotine binding to brain receptors, menthol increases the number of these receptors, making the brain even more dependent on the continued use of not just tobacco, but menthol specifically.
Due to the relative ease of smoking menthol products, menthol smokers inhale more deeply and they smoke more cigarettes. That means over their smoking lifetime they take in more toxic chemicals and tar from cigarettes/vapes.