For context, the stated reason why menthol cigarettes were banned in Canada is that menthol reduces throat irritation, which is believed to be a deterrent to smoking. A recent study found that between 2016 and 2018, menthol smokers were about 50% more likely to quit after the ban than non-menthol smokers (22% vs. 15%), so it does appear to have been at least somewhat successful.

If banning menthol cigarettes is good because menthol makes smoking less unpleasant, could mandating that irritants be added to cigarettes to make smoking even more unpleasant be the next step?