When did menthol cigarettes first come on the market?

I seem to remember menthol cigarette ads showing up on TV in the 1950s or early 1960s, well before cigarette ads were banned from TV. Kool, Salem, and Newport were popular.

For some period, they came out with menthol versions of a number of popular brands. I smoked Carlton menthols for a while. (Quit all cigs in 1989.) My husband said they weren’t real cigarettes. I don’t have any idea what the market is like now, though.

KOOL(cigarette) apparently 1933 by Brown and Williamson . In the 1950 2% of the white population and 5% of the black population preferred KOOL cigarettes.

Spud cigatettes were the first, released in 1927.

I too remember the commercials. I am not certain when menthol came out although I remember my first pack of “Kools” in the late 1960s. They were so strong I actually felt a buzz from them. I don’t know if they are still on the market.

As stated above, “Spud” brand menthol cigarettes were on the market in 1927. “Kool” brand was marketed in 1933.

Great answers! Thanks to all.