Don't Lose Your Cool: Menthol Cigarettes Are Now Banned in the UK

As of today, the 20th of May 2020, you will no longer be able to purchase menthol cigarettes or rolling tobacco sold with flavouring accessories, in a complete ban implemented by the UK government. The ban also extends to click, capsule, crushball, dual and skinny cigarettes, with an aim to discourage young people from taking up smoking, in addition to encourage and support quitting amongst smokers. There is significant evidence that menthol cigarettes and tobacco relax the airways, with the fresh flavour masking the harshness of the smoke and making it seem more appealing.

Action on Smoking and Health state: “No person may produce or supply a cigarette or hand rolling tobacco with a filter, paper, package, capsule or other component containing flavourings; a filter, paper or capsule containing tobacco or nicotine; or a technical feature allowing the consumer to modify the smell, taste, or smoke intensity of the product.”

How Do I Get My Menthol Fix?

If you’re a menthol smoker, don’t panic. This may feel like a win for health, but it doesn’t feel like a win for you, when you’ve been accustomed to your menthol cigarettes of choice for so long. In fact, menthol users make up a massive 26% of all current smokers in the UK, so this new ban will provide tough choices for many individuals looking to satisfy their nicotine cravings.

If the menthol ban has inspired you to make a change to your habits, both vaping and heated tobacco products are exempt from the ban, so there are a wide variety of alternatives on offer. Making the switch to vaping presents menthol-seekers with the best chance of finding an alternative product that works for them, providing the same authentic experience as smoking, with that menthol freshness you’ve come to know and love. With nicotine gum and patches, many ex-smokers find it hard to manage without the hand-to-mouth action typical of smoking, or even the five minutes you get to yourself whilst you’re having a cigarette break.

With vaping, you’ll experience the feeling of familiarity you crave, in addition to having a wide range of flavours and nicotine strengths to most effectively replace your menthol cigarettes and tobacco. Used to only having a few options of menthol cigarette flavours? Welcome to a world of pure menthols, minty menthols, fruity menthols, tobacco menthols, cocktail menthols - we could go on! There are a huge range of menthol e-liquids and heated tobacco solutions that effectively replace your menthol cigarettes and tobacco, with the bonus of being, on average, 95% less harmful to your health than smoking.

We know that vaping can seem a bit daunting with so many options, but we’re here to help guide you through every step of the way. All of these choices exist to give you the best possible chance of quitting smoking for good, with a tailored smoking experience to suit your exact needs.

What Device Should I Start With?

Our first piece of advice is to begin with a device that isn’t too complex or expensive, to stop you from getting overly frustrated with a huge variety of settings. For ultimate ease-of-use, pod kits provide a clip-and-go vaping experience that could not be simpler, avoiding the need for fiddly coil changes and any technical know-how. Refillable pod kits such as the Vapmor Vpen, Innokin Go S provide the option to fill the pod with your choice of e-liquid, enabling you to find that perfect menthol and stick with it!

If you’re looking for something a little more advanced, without being overly complex, the Aspire Pockex or Vaptio Tyro Nano kits are a great choice. Want something stylish with great performance? We highly recommend the Innokin Kroma-R Zlide Kit, which comes with push-fit coils for increased reliability and easy coil changes, and is ideal for vapers of all experience and usage levels.

But what about if you’ve tried vaping before, and didn’t find it very satisfying - but you want to make the switch away from smoking? IQOS heat-not-burn devices are a great alternative to smoking, which heat tobacco as opposed to burning it, which releases the true taste of real tobacco. If you don’t get on with vaping, IQOS is a fantastic option to help you make the switch away from smoking, with Blue and Turquoise HEETS, or tobacco sticks, delivering a menthol hit you’ll love.

What’s the Best Menthol E-Liquid for Me?

At VapeHQ, our most popular e-liquids across the entirety of our online store and retail network are Pure Menthol and Pure Ice Menthol. Pure Ice Menthol delivers a blast of minty chill, whereas Pure Menthol is a classic menthol flavour, both ideal for menthol smokers looking to kick the habit and switch to vaping. Both Pure Menthol and Pure Ice Menthol are available in a range of nicotine strengths from 0mg to 20mg, for your perfect all-day vape.

Pure Ice Menthol takes the top spot as the UK’s favourite menthol, but don’t take our word for it, we’ve had 300 reviews on this brilliant juice! Here are some of our favourites:

“This was the first vape liquid I used when I chose to stop smoking, and it was so effective I never went back to cigarettes. One of the only flavours that doesn't ever fade. A daily vape that satisfies every time. The mint is cool and pleasant, the throat hit is perfection. When I use Pure vape products my coils last forever, saving me money. I have tried so many e-liquids but of all I have tried this is the best in every way.”

- Eddie

“Such a good taste. Stopped my craving of cigarettes too as is strong enough.”

- Amy

“Simply the best you can get. Gives you that extra hit other companies seem to lack. A definite re-order!”

- Jess

“Used Pure Ice Menthol for a long time. Tried several mint flavours, before being advised to try this. Wouldn’t change for anything else now.”

- David

“I’ve been using this flavour since I stopped smoking, and have tried many other flavours, but this is the best menthol on the market. Highly recommended.”

- Amanda

“Have been smoke-free since using a vape. Ice Menthol is the only flavour that does the job for me. Great delivery and excellent service.”

- James

In summary, we’d like to show our support on what could be a difficult day for some as the Menthol Ban comes fully into force. But if life is giving you a sign to stop smoking and make the switch to vaping, it’s now! Join the vaping revolution with VapeHQ today, and find your perfect menthol.