Menthol cigarettes have destroyed the lives of many. However, one New Jersey family owes their livelihood as well as their lung cancer to a very special brand: Manic Menthols.
Paul Menthol, known to his many friends as “Mr. Unfiltered”, loved to smoke his menthols so much that when he was laid off from his job as a Monmouth Beach Police Officer for perpetual tardiness, and drinking on the job, he approached Manic Menthol’s with an ingenious proposal. Paul Welton, as he was known at the time, walked into the Manic Menthol factory on East Freehold Road, and asked if they were interested in a lifetime of advertisement-literally.
“It was a wacky proposal, but one that made me ecstatic”, said Benjamin De la Soul, owner of Manic Menthol’s, and father of local entrepreneur, Roger De la Soul. “Imagine someone who loved smoking so much that they were willing to change their last name just in order to have a lifetime supply. It's quite beautiful, if you think about it. So, I jumped at the chance to pay Paul minimum wage for the rest of his life as long as he held true to his part of the bargain…and he did…and so did the entire Menthol family, including his daughter Jeanine. We are so proud of them all.”
Paul and his wife Elise embraced the Menthol lifestyle until they both fell victim to lung cancer in 1998. Paul passed on Thanksgiving Day, and Elise didn’t make it to see Christmas. The family was quite close, and they shared their love for each other almost as much as their love for Menthol’s.
Jeanine Menthol has been smoking her family issue menthol’s since 1984. She has never let her shallow breathing and chronic cough get in the way of her yogalates, or her search for the perfect rich Doctor. Spending most of her nights trolling the Seaside Boardwalk bars for a Staten Island Physician who might need some company, Jeanine Menthol, or “Mommy”, as she is known by those who love and admire her is a proud mother of two, and full time employee of Manic Menthol’s. She is revered as a pillar of the cigarette community.
“It’s amazing to have someone like Jeanine on our team. She continues to introduce more disenchanted teenagers to our product every day. With her white trash appeal, and superficial values she is a hit with kids from broken homes, and adults who suffer from a crippling sense of self-loathing. We love having her face as the face of Manic Menthol’s,” said Roger De La Soul. “She’s the best.”
When we caught up with Jeanine outside the Mid Way Cheese Steak Stand on the boardwalk as she slurped down a greasy hero, she only had this to say as she wiped some cheese whiz from her chin,"Mommy needs a Menthol."I guess Mommy knows what Mommy wants.
We can’t wait to see what Mommy Menthol offers up to the global cigarette community next.
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