U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, in a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said the regulatory agency has “abundant grounds” to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes.

The Connecticut Democrat encouraged the FDA to act on recommendations regarding the use of menthol made in a report by the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee. “It is well documented that the restriction of access to tobacco products directly impacts youth smoking rates and the FDA should take strong action to prevent tobacco companies from using menthol cigarettes to increase the number of youth who smoke,” Blumenthal said in the 18 April letter made public by his office. (pi)