It has been one year since the Food and Drug Administration issued a proposed rule to ban menthol-flavored cigarettes and flavored cigars. The FDA issued a strong proposed rule that, if implemented, will ban menthol flavored cigarettes and flavored cigars. Studies have shown that flavors, including menthol, lure children into tobacco initiation and the menthol makes it harder to quit.
The tobacco control community will use the one-year anniversary to bring attention to the FDA’s delay in taking final action and urge the agency and the Biden Administration to issue a final rule banning menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.
Unfortunately, the tobacco industry has not been idle while the FDA finalizes their rule. Big Tobacco has already developed new products in an attempt to evade future menthol cigarette bans. Several tobacco companies have begun marketing new “cool” non-menthol products that use artificial additives to provide the same cooling sensation of a menthol product but do not provide a menthol taste.
“One year is too long to wait for the FDA to protect the American public from menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. The FDA must act now!” said ATS Tobacco Action Committee Chair Hasmeena Kathuria, MD. “The data showing that menthol and other flavor additives attract people – especially kids – to tobacco is overwhelming. That menthol makes smoking harder to quit is well documented. The FDA has all the authority and information it needs to make a sound decision and should finalize the menthol cigarette and flavored cigar ban.”