The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rule that would see menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigars banned has been sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final review, reports MedicalXpress.

The FDA first proposed the rule in April saying it had “the potential to significantly reduce disease and death,” reduce “youth experimentation and addiction” and increase the numbers of smokers who quit.
Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the number of smokers has dropped while the number of those who smoke menthols has risen. The menthol flavour is thought to be appealing to new smokers and is also hugely popular among Black smokers. Black people die at much higher rates from smoking-related illnesses than white people do, including from stroke, heart disease and lung cancer, reports MedicalXpress.
President and CEO of the American Lung Association (ALA, Harold Wimmer, praised the move saying: “Once finalized, rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigars rule will be the most significant actions that the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products has taken in its 14-year history. The American Lung Association [ALA] is eager for these lifesaving rules to be implemented and urges the White House to finalize these rules before the end of the year. The science and data are clear. Ending the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigars will save lives. It will also help reduce the unjust disparities in tobacco use caused by the tobacco companies targeting certain communities with menthol cigarettes.”
Erika Sward, assistant vice president of national advocacy with the ALA, pointed out that a ban would affect the sales of big tobacco companies. “It’s a big deal for them because it is how they attract and sustain people’s addiction. So if this stands, they will have lost a major tool that they’ve used to addict and sustain an addiction for millions of people.”
According to MedicalXpress, tobacco companies are already working on ways to circumvent a potential ban by formulating a synthetic menthol-like cooling agent and marketing those products to menthol smokers.