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By Lee Han-soo
Menthol cigarettes will be phased out in major European countries by 2020 after the European Union passed regulations to ban the products that have been criticized for "ushering" people into smoking.
The first step of the restrictions becomes effective from May 20, under which cigarette packets will be banned from containing misleading descriptions such as "light," "natural" and "organic." The measure will also prohibit tobacco companies from having fewer than 20 cigarettes in a pack and fewer than 30 grams of dried tobacco for hand-rolling a cigarette.
The restrictions were introduced following fears menthol cigarettes make it easier to smoke and could be worse for smokers, according to British newspaper The Sun. The daily said the move came after a scientific finding that menthol cigarette smokers have far worse respiratory health problems than those who smoke regular cigarettes.
"From May 20, all packs manufactured for sale in the U.K. will have to be plain, standardized in the same drab green color, with the product name on the pack in a standard font," Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Action on Smoking Health for U.K., told The Sun.
The new cigarette packets will also have a large health warning.
The U.K. has officially welcomed the new EU regulations.
The first step of the restrictions becomes effective from May 20, under which cigarette packets will be banned from containing misleading descriptions such as "light," "natural" and "organic." The measure will also prohibit tobacco companies from having fewer than 20 cigarettes in a pack and fewer than 30 grams of dried tobacco for hand-rolling a cigarette.
The restrictions were introduced following fears menthol cigarettes make it easier to smoke and could be worse for smokers, according to British newspaper The Sun. The daily said the move came after a scientific finding that menthol cigarette smokers have far worse respiratory health problems than those who smoke regular cigarettes.
"From May 20, all packs manufactured for sale in the U.K. will have to be plain, standardized in the same drab green color, with the product name on the pack in a standard font," Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Action on Smoking Health for U.K., told The Sun.
The new cigarette packets will also have a large health warning.
The U.K. has officially welcomed the new EU regulations.
The first step of the restrictions becomes effective from May 20, under which cigarette packets will be banned from containing misleading descriptions such as "light," "natural" and "organic." The measure will also prohibit tobacco companies from having fewer than 20 cigarettes in a pack and fewer than 30 grams of dried tobacco for hand-rolling a cigarette.
The restrictions were introduced following fears menthol cigarettes make it easier to smoke and could be worse for smokers, according to British newspaper The Sun. The daily said the move came after a scientific finding that menthol cigarette smokers have far worse respiratory health problems than those who smoke regular cigarettes.
"From May 20, all packs manufactured for sale in the U.K. will have to be plain, standardized in the same drab green color, with the product name on the pack in a standard font," Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Action on Smoking Health for U.K., told The Sun.
The new cigarette packets will also have a large health warning.
The U.K. has officially welcomed the new EU regulations.