FDA Set to Ban Menthol Tobacco Products in the Near Future

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to finalize rules banning the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars in the coming months, after missing its initial deadline of August 2023. Menthol cigarettes have been targeted at minority communities, including the Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ communities, leading to health disparities. A ban on menthol cigarettes could save up to 654,000 lives within four decades, with a third of those lives saved being among the Black community. The FDA's delay in implementing the ban has been criticized by public health leaders, who argue that it is harmful to Black people and Black youth in particular. The ban would also address the issue of flavored cigars, which are attractive to children. While two states have already implemented bans on menthol cigarettes, it is expected that tobacco companies will sue to challenge the nationwide ban when it is enacted.