The White House has missed its latest deadline to finalize a ban on menthol cigarettes, stirring speculation about political implications.
Lauren Clason reports for The Hill.
In short:
- The Food and Drug Administration's push to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars has hit another snag, missing the March deadline set by the administration.
- Lobbying efforts by tobacco companies, including a meeting with Forbes Tate Partners representing Altria, continue to influence the rule-making process.
- Public health advocates and certain lawmakers urge for quicker action, pointing to the ban's potential health benefits and its role in promoting health equity.
Key quote:
“As with Prohibition in the 1920s, FDA’s proposal to ban menthol cigarettes will create unregulated, illegal markets, encourage criminal activity, and threaten the integrity of the regulatory system itself — consequences FDA has not considered.”
— Altria, the owner of Marlboro cigarettes
Why this matters:
Menthol is a flavor additive with a minty taste and aroma, which makes tobacco products more appealing by masking the harshness of smoke, thereby making it easier for beginners to start smoking and harder for smokers to quit. The FDA's interest in regulating menthol cigarettes stems from evidence suggesting that menthol increases the addictiveness of cigarettes and exacerbates health disparities.
The flavors used in e-cigarettes—especially menthol and cinnamon—damage blood vessel cells and such impacts increase heart disease risk, according to a new study.
