Menthol cigarette ban delay sparks controversy amid health disparities and political risks

A proposed ban on menthol cigarettes in the US will take longer than expected due to “significantly more time” being required for discussions with various groups over concerns raised during a public comment period, according to Xavier Becerra, the country’s health secretary. In October 2022, it was revealed that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would ban menthol-flavoured cigarettes by August next year after lobbying from tobacco firms saw them exempted in a similar move back in 2009. However, this week Becerra said more conversations were needed before any final decision could be made. An administration official declined to provide further details on the new timeline for action but admitted that “harder to put a timeline” on it as there was still work required with interested parties over their worries about such a ban. A coalition of civil rights and medical groups has already sued the FDA this month, accusing them of failing to meet earlier deadlines in relation to menthol cigarettes despite setting March 2023 for action. “Two full years after releasing proposed rules backed by extensive scientific evidence – and more than a decade since the FDA began examining menthol cigarettes – the administration has failed to take decisive action,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. Some Black civil rights leaders have expressed concerns that such a ban would criminalise smoking these products and lead to an increase in deadly police interactions but both the NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus are among those who support it along with dozens of public health experts as they say it will save hundreds of thousands of lives, particularly within their own communities. Menthol cigarettes have been a major issue for President Joe Biden ahead of his re-election bid this year due to concerns over voter turnout from minority groups. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these products have contributed significantly towards widening health disparities, with Black people being disproportionately targeted by tobacco marketing campaigns compared to other ethnic minorities in America. Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths every year in the US – including almost half a million smokers as well as some 41,000 who are killed each year through second-hand smoke exposure. A menthol ban could save up to 650,000 lives over the next four decades with around one third of those being among Black communities according to figures from The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.