Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2010 Dec;12 Suppl 2:S98-101. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntq208.
Sensory perception is a key determinant of smoking behavior and, therefore, reinforcement and addiction. The tobacco industry has conducted extensive research on the chemosensory and physiological effects of menthol in tobacco smoke and has actively promoted menthol's sensory characteristics. Based upon previously published examinations of internal tobacco industry documents, this commentary summarizes what is currently known about the tobacco industry's use of menthol to modify sensory characteristics in cigarettes and the implications of these activities for smoking behavior. The industry considers menthol to be an important tool for modulating the sensory effects of nicotine in different product variations, particularly those designed to be acceptable to "starters" or people interested in quitting. Regulatory efforts should consider that menthol enables the tobacco industry to customize a highly addictive product in a manner that contributes to initiation and deters cessation due to its chemosensory effects.
感觉感知是吸烟行为和因此的强化和成瘾的关键决定因素。烟草业已经对薄荷醇在烟草烟雾中的化学感觉和生理效应进行了广泛的研究，并积极推广薄荷醇的感官特征。基于以前对内部烟草业文件的审查，本评论总结了目前已知的烟草业使用薄荷醇来改变香烟感官特征的情况，以及这些活动对吸烟行为的影响。该行业认为薄荷醇是调节不同产品变体中尼古丁感官效应的重要工具，特别是那些旨在被“初学者”或有戒烟意愿的人接受的产品变体。监管工作应该考虑到，薄荷醇使烟草业能够以一种有助于启动和阻止因化学感觉效应而戒烟的方式定制一种高度成瘾的产品。
