A cigarette giant is being investigated for flouting Britain’s ban on menthol cigarettes.
The UK’s biggest selling tobacco firm is being probed by Public Health England over new cigs users say taste just like menthols.
The ban, from May, was to stop young people from using menthols, which many smokers mistakenly believed were less harmful.
The Mirror can reveal seven of the most popular brands are being tested, including Sterling New Superkings Green, Benson & Hedges New Superkings Green and Mayfair New Green. Lab analysts are looking at new cigarette products boasting “fresh” flavour, to check if they are breaking the law.
It states products must not have any added “characterising flavour”.
Deborah Arnott, of Action on Smoking & Health, said “Smokers believe they’re still smoking menthol and that’s what counts.
“In the words of the proverb, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck.”
JTI, which makes £650,000 profit daily from its new range, said: “We are confident that all our products are fully compliant with UK law.”
