Citrus cigarettes leave a sour taste in the mouth of the JCTC

Dear Editor,

It is with great concern that the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control (JCTC) notes Carreras Limited’s plan to launch islandwide an upgraded version of its mentholated cigarette brand which includes a double capsule that will allow smokers to switch to a citrus flavour.

Introducing more flavoured cigarettes in Jamaica at this time is alarming, given that many jurisdictions elsewhere are moving towards banning flavoured tobacco products altogether. In July, legislators in Albany county in the United States tabled a vote to ban flavoured tobacco products; flavours such as ‘Unicorn Poop’ are deemed as being marketed directly to children. New Jersey already has restrictions on flavoured cigarettes, and there are bans on flavoured tobacco products in the European Union, Brazil, Canada, Chile, and Ethiopia.

 

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