Menthol cigarettes are set to be banned as new laws come into effect later this year in an attempt to stop young people from taking up smoking.
Those looking to purchase menthol flavoured products, including cigarettes and rolling tobacco, will have only until 20th May, 2020 to buy them before they're no longer available.
The ban stems from new EU Tobacco Product Directive laws, which will also see 10-pack cigarettes banned from UK shops, in the hope to stop young people taking up the habit.
A spokesperson for Anti-smoking charity, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) outlined the new rules and said: "No person may produce or supply a cigarette or hand rolling tobacco with:
"(a) a filter, paper, package, capsule or other component containing flavourings;
"(b) a filter, paper or capsule containing tobacco or nicotine; or
"(c) a technical feature allowing the consumer to modify the smell, taste, or smoke intensity of the product."
Initially the ban was contested by Philip Morris, the manufacturer of cigarette brands including Marlboro, to the European Court of Justice but it wasn't successful.
Speaking of the ban, Amanda Sandford, of ASH said that the move will hopefully make smoking less appealing.
She told the Liverpool Echo: "Cigarettes are already expensive. And the price increase of cigarettes is a key factor in making people quit smoking.
"So, by removing the packet of 10 cigarettes this means people will have to find that extra money for a packet. It will hit poorer and younger smokers harder who are more likely to buy smaller packs...
She added: "...There is evidence that menthol cigarettes relax the airways and the flavour masks the harshness of the smoke, therefore younger people find it easier to smoke.
"However, it is an absolute myth that menthol cigarettes are better for you. All cigarettes are harmful and menthol cigarettes are just as dangerous as normal cigarettes."
Currently, menthol cigarettes are only available in packs of 20.
The news shouldn't come as a shock to consumers after a 2016 European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling banned menthol cigarettes, which are flavoured using mint flavourings or extracts.
The ECJ gave cigarette manufacturers four years to phased them out, after they declared the flavouring is used to increase the attractiveness of smoking.
Although they are not proven to be any more toxic than regular cigarettes, research gathered by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 found that they are more addictive and harder to quit.
Featured Image Credit: UnsplashTopics: Life News, News, Health