By Bloomberg News’s Fiona Rutherford (TNS)
The Trump administration withdrew a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, which was a setback for public health campaigners who blame the additive for thousands of preventable deaths.
Earlier this week, a regulatory docket indicated that the proposed rule banning menthol had been removed. Cigarette manufacturers’ stock increased Friday as a result of the announcement, with British American Tobacco Plc up 0.4% in London and Altria Group Inc. up 1.9% in New York.
Since the Biden administration postponed releasing a final rule that would have added menthol to the 2009 list that outlawed all other flavorings in cigarettes, the plan gained political traction during the 2024 election. Many racial and ethnic organizations fought against the prohibition, including Black Americans, a significant voting bloc, smoke menthol cigarettes at a disproportionate rate.
The Food and Drug Administration’s proposal would have hindered private purchase decisions even though its goal was to promote Americans’ health. Critics characterized the most recent action as a continuation of a predatory approach that mostly targets Black smokers and said it represents a regression after years of progress in anti-tobacco initiatives.
According to Phillip Gardiner, co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, “it is a huge slap in the face to keep such a deadly product on the market, especially after the ban was so close to being enforced.” “We have been fighting for this for fifteen years,” he remarked. It’s the continuation of a discriminatory policy, to put it simply.
Anti-tobacco organizations argued that the impact will not be restricted to a single group of smokers and that the Trump administration’s action goes against its declared goal of enhancing American health.
According to Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, managing attorney for Action on Smoking and Health, Americans will suffer greatly if the FDA withdraws its proposed regulation banning menthol. The Trump administration must permit the FDA to outlaw menthol if it hopes to restore American health.
The Trump administration withdrew a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, which was a setback for public health campaigners who blame the additive for thousands of preventable deaths. (TNS/Getty Images/Drew Angerer)TNS
In the United States, smoking is the primary preventable cause of death. If menthol in tobacco products is banned in the US, 1.3 million Americans are expected to quit, according to research, Romeo-Stuppy stated.
According to her, any program that aids millions of Americans in quitting smoking would be a huge success.
Others praised the removal of what they described as overreaching restrictions, pointing out that the measure was rejected by the majority of the 250,000 comments that were sent to the FDA during a public comment period.
According to David Spross, executive director of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets, a ban would have resulted in job losses nationwide as well as major financial repercussions for retail establishments, including significant lost revenue.
According to him, the supply of these goods would have moved from law-abiding, licensed, and controlled businesses to an already-existing black market.
Prohibition doesn’t work, according to Reynolds American, the division of British American Tobacco Plc that produces Newport and Camel cigarettes. The company applauded the ruling.
Adult smokers can be weaned off of cigarettes in more efficient methods, according to business spokesperson Luis Pinto.
Citing the administration’s limitations on public outreach about health-related issues during the presidential transition, the FDA declined to comment. Reporters were sent to the FDA by Altria.
All cigarette flavors other than menthol were outlawed by the 2009 Tobacco Control Act, which granted the FDA the power to regulate the sector. Although it directed the government to give the menthol in cigarettes more thought, years of dispute prevented any action.