Anti-tobacco advocates are increasingly worried that a divided White House will bow to tobacco. political pressure Amid concerns of a backlash from black voters ahead of the 2024 election, the government has reversed its plan to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes, citing opposition from the tobacco industry.
The tobacco industry has long been under fire. target the black communityThis is especially true for menthol products. Public health experts say banning menthol could save hundreds of thousands of lives, especially among black smokers.Estimation 85 percent of black smokers According to federal statistics, it uses menthol.
The possibility of banning menthol cigarettes is being discussed among multiple administrations. over 10 years And it hasn't happened yet. But the political tide has shifted in recent years, with a majority of the Congressional Black Caucus backing Biden's proposal.
The ban is supported by groups including the NAACP, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, National Council of Black Women, National Black Civic Engagement Coalition, and other public health groups.
Public health experts have long said they are accustomed to making arguments that ultimately fall short. can't hear It's for political calculation. They just hope menthol isn't one of those cases.
“This ultimately comes down to a political decision by the president and his senior advisers,” said Erica Seward, vice president of national advocacy for the American Lung Association, adding that Biden's legacy issue of budget cuts is important. added. Cancer mortality rate cut in half If he repeals the ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, that won't happen for the next 25 years.
“If he follows the science and follows his scientific advisors, he will finalize these rules,” Seward said.
Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ultimately proposed Menthol sales to be banned in 2022the target date for the final rule has been pushed back by months.
The rule was originally scheduled to be published in August, but it was not sent to the White House for final regulatory review until October, with the aim of publishing it by the end of the year. If the rules are ever released, it won't be until March.
“We've been trying to get the message out to the White House that we have political coverage, if they can do it their own way,” said Yolanda, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.・Mr. Richardson said.
Programming notes: The newsletter will return next Tuesday after Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
