More to the Story with Staley: Menthol Ban in the U.S.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The FDA appears to be ready to rule on potentially banning menthol flavoring in cigarettes and cigars.

Some like the idea, but there are those who don’t.

Smoke ’em if you got ’em. Whether or not you indulge, you’ve probably heard the phrase before.

But if you’re firing up a menthol smoke… Well, those days could be numbered.

All indications are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will rule by the end of August 2023 on potentially banning menthol flavoring in cigars, cigarettes and tiparillos.

Many organizations are on board with this, to include health groups and even the NAACP.

“Menthol is cooler, it’s smoother. It makes the poison, the tobacco poison, go down easier, because it’s not as harsh. And without menthol in cigarettes, a lot of African Americans have said that they would quit smoking in general,” said Delmonte Jefferson, employee with the Center for Black Health and Equity.

But many people are opposed to such a ban, saying the ban would have a disproportionate impact on people of color. Consider this: 85% of African American smokers buy menthol.

Retired law enforcement agent Corey Pegues is one of those who stands against such a move.

“What they didn’t realize is that you are only banning it for one segment of the community,” retired NYPD Executive Corey Pegues said. “Why can’t the Black people and Hispanic people smoke, when the white people can. It makes no sense. Menthol is a flavor. Nicotine is the addiction, in every single cigarette.”

Pegues and others say such a ban fails to consider other solutions to menthol tobacco, such as education and healthcare initiatives. And the fact that a recent study shows smoking in general to be at an all-time low.

But for Pegues, the matter of racial justice is the key point.

“We think we have a health issue now, waiting until we see people in their backyards mixing up tobacco with various drugs. We’re going to have a serious health issue… a serious health issue,” Pegues added.

In an interesting twist, the FDA has made it clear that any such ban would only apply to manufacturers and retailers. It would not make it illegal for any individual to possess or use the product.

By the way, other countries such as Canada and The Netherlands have already banned menthol flavoring.

And right now, menthol is the only flavored cigarette that’s still allowed in the United States.