Menthol cigarettes will be banned in the United Kingdom from next week in a bid to discourage young people from taking up smoking.
The ban - part of a European Union initiative - will come into effect on Wednesday, May 20. Under the new directive, flavoured rolling tobacco and "skinny" cigarettes will be outlawed.
Experts believe youngsters use flavoured cigarettes as they relax airways and lower the severity of smoke. While it is commonly believed that menthol cigarettes are less harmful than their regular counterparts, they are actually just as damaging to people's health.
The ban comes from the EU's new Tobacco Product Directive laws, which prohibit all menthol cigarettes. In 2018, nearly one in eight UK smokers rated menthols their