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1- Internal Medicine at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, California, USA
2- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract:
Flavor is a multisensory experience shaped by gustatory, olfactory, and trigeminal inputs, further modulated by visual, auditory, and somatosensory cues. Neuroscience identifies the insula, orbitofrontal cortex, and limbic networks as central to both the sensory and hedonic dimensions of flavor. These mechanisms are highly relevant to tobacco use: flavored products such as menthol cigarettes and sweetened e-cigarettes exploit these neural integration pathways to heighten reward, mask aversive qualities, and strengthen conditioned responses. In doing so, they enhance appeal, particularly among youth and marginalized populations targeted by industry marketing. At the policy level, taxation and smoke-free laws remain proven strategies for reducing tobacco use, yet their impact is uneven across socioeconomic and racial groups because of structural inequities and inconsistent enforcement. Lower-income tobacco users are often more price-sensitive to tax increases, but disparities in cessation support and regulatory coverage limit long-term benefits. Similarly, while smoke-free protections are widespread, they are less consistently applied in minority and low-income communities, perpetuating inequities in exposure and harm. Complementary policies, such as minimum price laws and retail restrictions, offer promise but remain underutilized. Taken together, these patterns suggest that effective and equitable regulation must address both the neurobiological appeal of flavors and the structural dimensions of policy. Flavor restrictions, strong taxation, and comprehensive smoke-free protections are essential strategies to reduce tobacco disparities in populations that bear a disproportionate burden.
Keywords: Tobacco control policies, Tobacco taxation, Smoke-free laws, Health status disparities, Socioeconomic factors, Racial groups, Ethnic groups, Minority health, Health equity, Social determinants of health, Public policy, Smoking cessation, Smoking Preventio
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