FDA poised to ban menthol cigarettes and fruit-flavored cigars

The U.S. government was poised Thursday to unveil its long-awaited plan to ban mint-flavored menthol cigarettes, which are disproportionately smoked by people of color.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf said the ban, which will also outlaw flavored cigars, would reduce disease and death by helping current smokers quit and stopping younger people from starting.

“Black folks die disproportionately of heart disease, lung cancer and stroke,” said Phillip Gardiner of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council. “Menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars are the main vectors of those diseases in the Black and brown communities, and have been for a long time.”

About a third of all cigarettes sold in the U.S. are menthol brands, and the minty flavor is much more popular among young people, Blacks and other minorities.

[ Good riddance to menthol cigarettes ]

Big Tobacco has rebuffed several earlier efforts to get rid of menthol cigarettes, which mask the harsh flavor of tobacco and make it harder for smokers to quit.

Some civil rights leaders have questioned if a ban will lead to a new set of dangerous interactions between Black people and police.

The FDA will also seek to ban dozens of sweet and fruity flavors used in small cigars, which are increasingly popular with young people.

The agency’s proposals will only be initial drafts. The FDA will take comments before issuing final rules, which then could face years of legal challenges from deep-pocketed tobacco companies.

Last year, the Biden administration vowed to take action against menthol smokes, responding in part to African American groups who say menthol has led to lower quit rates and higher rates of death among Black people.

A menthol ban would be a huge blow to tobacco companies, including Reynolds American, which sells leading mint brands Newport and Kool.

More than 12% of Americans smoke cigarettes, with rates roughly even between white and Black populations.