FDA Moves To Ban Menthol Cigarettes And Flavored Cigars
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 15: In this photo illustration, packs of menthol cigarettes sits on a table, November 15, 2018 in New York City. The U.S.Food and Drug Administration is proposing a ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Menthol cigarettes make up 35 percent of U.S. cigarette sales. Photo Illustration by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

With intentions to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, the administration of the U.S. President Joe Biden made an announcement on Thursday to ban those tobacco products.

Based on the Food and Drug Administration, the studies suggest that the ban on menthol would help individuals to quit smoking. The FDA noted that menthol makes tobacco more palatable and the flavor facilitates progression to regular smoking, especially to youth and young adults.

According to CBS News, the acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock M.D. stated that the banning of menthol, which is the last allowable flavor in cigarettes, and banning all flavors in cigars will help save lives. She also added that the move will help lessen those affected by these deadly products.

Moreover, the acting FDA Commissioner stated that the actions will help significantly reduce youth initiation, increase the chances of smoking cessation especially those current smokers, and address health disparities experienced by communities of color, low-income populations, and individuals who more likely use tobacco products.

In addition, Woodcock expressed that the hope and belief that these bans would put them on a trajectory that would end diseases and death related to the usage of tobacco in the U.S.

Ban on Menthol Cigarettes Will Lead to More Quitters

Also, the FDA mentioned in their statement that a study suggests that the banning of menthol cigarettes in the U.S. would lead to at least 923,000 smokers quitting their smoking habits. It includes 230,000 African Americans in the first 13 to 17 months after the menthol ban goes into effect, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, it was a court-imposed deadline for the FDA to respond to a 2013 petition advocated by the citizen regarding the ban. The FDA data shows that approximately 20 million Americans smoke menthols.

Even the public health organizations like the American Medical Association also favored the 'menthol ban' for the same reasons cited by the FDA. The data also showed their disproportionate impact on the health of racial minorities and young individuals, NPR reported.

Furthermore, advocates of the menthol ban shared that the decision regarding the ban was ultimately by President Biden.

On the other hand, the banning of menthol cigarettes and cigars also has Democratic support in Congress. Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois and Representatives Bobby Rush and Raja Krishnamoorthi argued recently that the FDA has a duty to ban menthols. They also told that the administration failed to protect children, especially those African American children, from a path to addiction that are inexcusable.

The House also passed a bill last year that bans all flavored e-cigarettes and menthols. However, the legislation did not clear the Senate. This is not the first time that flavored cigarettes have faced prohibition. The FDA banned other flavored cigarettes in 2009.

The ban will not be put in place immediately, but they're subjected to a potentially years-long rule-making process and then could face legal challenges from the industry.

The president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Matthew Myers, praised the move. He also mentioned that the action is historic in protecting kids from tobacco addiction and advancing health equity, especially among Black Americans.

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