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Hundreds of ECHO readers are furious with a new law to ban menthol cigarettes this year.

Under the ban, which comes into effect on May 20, both menthol cigarettes and rolling tobacco will be withdrawn from sale.

The ban - which will also see skinny cigarettes banned from UK stores - is part of an attempt to stop young people taking up the smoking habit by outlawing cigarettes with a 'characterising flavour' other than tobacco.

The ban is in accordance with the EU Tobacco Products Directive.

This is how some ECHO readers reacted to the impending ban - what do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Liane Brady wrote: "I hate smoking, it stinks and is probably the most harmful thing you could do to your body but surely it’s an individual’s choice to smoke a menthol cigarette?

"If they are smoking where they are not around others or where people are compliant with them smoking I can’t see the issue?"

Terry OJounru wrote: "I quit smoking a few years back but I think the government should just butt out (no pun intended) and leave people to make their own decisions.

"Let people make their own choices."

Tony Stringy commented: "People who want smoking banned BEWARE of what you wish for you might just get it.

"Where will the government get the loss of the billions of pounds in tax from?

"Before you say smoking costs the NHS billions please look at the difference between the two - the amount of tax off cigarettes is twice as much as they say it costs the NHS."

(Image: PA)

Steven Shanley said: "I don't know many people who smoke menthol cigarettes but I think banning them is completely stupid.

"A ban won't stop young people from wanting to smoke, couldn't imagine anyone young wanting menthol, most of the young people you see vape now and that stuff comes in flavours aimed specifically at young people.

"Leave the menthol cigarettes alone!"

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Carol Anne wrote: "Kids don't smoke because of flavours.. they smoke because it's a step to building an image, their mates do it, it attracts other people that wouldn't usually give them the time of day, they become part of a clique of "cooler" kids ... Smoking will never be banned because the government need the revenue.

"Kids will always smoke because that's how society is."

Irene Rowland said: "I am 76 years old and have smoked since I was 15. I smoke menthol cigarettes.

"I don't want to stop smoking and I have told my doctor that I don't want to and said to him that if I did I would probably spend more time at the doctors. I only go to the doctors once a year and that's for my yearly checkup and there is never anything wrong with me."

Liane Brady said: "I hate smoking, it stinks and is probably the most harmful thing you could do to your body but surely it's an individual's choice to smoke a menthol cigarette?

"If they are smoking where they are not around others or where people are compliant with them smoking I can't see the issue?"

Shirley Foy wrote: "This is taking away the personal rights of choice, if this is the only brand they have smoked as the person above for 60 years, then is it fair to that right away, it is not right to dictate, huge amount of taxes are paid on cigarettes, people have rights to choose, stopping the 10s was unfair too, actually some could only ever afford 10s."

Arthur Hedgcock wrote: "I was never a smoker. Not because anyone stopped me I just never wanted to. Even so I think it’s a matter of personal choice and we all know the danger but at nearly £10 a packet it’s a very expensive pass time."

Mo Porcelli wrote: "Dictatorship - I only smoke menthol my choice to smoke have done for 60+ years.

"They say its an EU law? we are out of the eu end of this month, so why should we be obeying them in May?

"Whenever I see young people smoking its always ordinary cigarettes they smoke.

"EU naff off UK government show backbone and stop the dictatorship of EU and let us have our freedom of choice what we do with our lives."

Karen Marie Jones said: "I only smoke menthol it was my choice to smoke menthol so what about our own rights?

"When I started smoking I smoked normal cigarettes so banning menthol is not going to stop kids."

Kev Riley said: "Menthols and lights are actually worse for you then normal cigs.

"Most people pull harder to get the hit of a normal cig which makes the carbon monoxide in their blood higher.

"I don't know if that's the reason why but it makes sense to ban them."

(Image: PA)

Lisa Gore said: "I know smoking kills, I know the risks but I only smoke menthol so now I'm being forced to quit when it should be my decision, this is just not on, but it's ok for me to walk past everyone on the streets smoking weed."

Stephanie Parry said: "Should ban all cigarettes altogether. They stink, they're bad for your health and they cost a fortune now. Best thing I ever did was quit!"

Donna McDermott said: "Most kids vape fruit flavours, just shows how out of touch the powers that be are."

Karen Marie Jones said: "It was my choice to smoke menthol so what about our own rights? When I started smoking I smoked normal cigarettes so banning menthol is not going to stop kids."

Anthony Savage said: "Black market in cigs and tobacco will be booming even more..."

The Department of Health said banning the production and sale of menthol cigarettes was "an important milestone in the Government’s drive towards a smoke-free society by 2030."

The charity ASH - Action on Smoking and Health - told the ECHO back in October that outlawing menthol tobacco will deter young people from smoking.

Although the UK is set to leave the EU on January 31 2020, the directive was implemented in UK law in 2016, meaning the ban will go ahead regardless of the UK's position in or out of the European Union.

Tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris, which owns brands including Marlboro, launched an unsuccessful appeal to the law change at the European Court of Justice.

Although the UK is set to leave the EU on January 31 2020, the directive was implemented in UK law in 2016, meaning the ban will go ahead regardless of the UK's position in or out of the European Union.

Tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris, which owns brands including Marlboro, launched an unsuccessful appeal to the law change at the European Court of Justice.

Menthol has been added to cigarettes since the 1920s. In the last century, menthol cigarettes were marketed as a healthier and safer variety of cigarette by tobacco companies.

But the Government said there was no evidence menthol cigarettes were less dangerous than regular tobacco.