“A menthol cigarette ban would disproportionately affect communities of color,” the ACLU wrote
The White House is waging war on menthol — the last allowable flavoring in cigarettes — and flavored cigars, announcing Thursday that the administration intends to ban the popular additives in tobacco products.
It was the first shot in an uphill battle that advocates say would prevent the industry from marketing to children and minority communities with whom flavored tobacco has proven popular.
“With these actions, the FDA will help significantly reduce youth initiation, increase the chances of smoking cessation among current smokers, and address health disparities experienced by communities of color, low-income populations, and LGBTQ+ individuals, all of whom are far more likely to use these tobacco products,” Acting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Janet Woodcock outlined in a Thursday statement.
The FDA also points to studies that suggest menthol cigarettes may be more addictive and harder to quit.
Zachary Petrizzo – Salon.com – 2021-04-30.