The Proposed Ban on Menthol Cigarettes: Why Black Health Advocates Are Cheering.

The Food and Drug Administration is proposing a ban on menthol cigarettes.

Activists in Black communities support the move, saying tobacco companies have targeted African American neighborhoods in their menthol cigarette campaigns.

Activists say menthol cigarettes are popular in Black communities and have created serious health issues.

Organizers of this year’s “No Menthol Sunday” on May 16 have something new to talk about on this annual day of observance when the faith community spreads awareness about the dangers of menthol tobacco in Black communities.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced it will ban both menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.

Phillip Gardiner, the co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) and a public health researcher, has pushed for this action for decades.

“It is a victory for tobacco control generally… and especially for African Americans who use menthol cigarettes disproportionately and who die disproportionately from tobacco-related disease,” Gardiner told Healthline.

1.Impact on the tobacco industry

If those numbers held, a menthol ban could have a big impact on the tobacco industry.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says menthol cigarettes make up about a thirdTrusted Source of all cigarettes sold in the United States.

Two of the leading brands are Newport, a product from the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and Kool, from ITG Brands, the U.S. subsidiary of the British company Imperial Tobacco.

In response to the FDA announcement, R. J. Reynolds spokesperson Kaelan Hollon sent Healthline a statement saying in part: “As was true when the FDA first examined menthol in 2013, and as the published literature continues to demonstrate, there is no scientific basis to regulate menthol and nonmenthol cigarettes differently. Reynolds will evaluate any proposed regulation and will participate in the rule-making process by submitting robust, science-based evidence.”

ITG Brands sent Healthline a statement saying the FDA announcement was “disappointing but not unexpected.”

The statement went on to say: “We believe the rule-making process will reveal that there is no scientific evidence to support a federal menthol and flavor ban. We are hopeful that the FDA will follow the law and prioritize sound policy and science over political pressure.”