Talk about an inconsistency in principles.
Remember all the Democrats who said we need to legalize marijuana because drug laws are putting too many black men in prison?
Those same people now say we need to ban menthol cigarettes because they're bad for black people.
Wouldn't that just lead to more black people getting arrested for smoking menthol instead of being arrested for marijuana?
The Biden administration this week is expected to propose a ban on menthol cigarettes, a move backed by civil rights groups that say Black Americans are hurt by the industry's aggressive marketing of the product, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has scheduled a briefing on Thursday with lawmakers, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. The agency faces a Thursday court deadline to respond to a 2013 citizen's petition seeking a ban on menthol cigarettes.
Any proposed menthol ban by the administration could take years to go into effect, and would likely face legal challenges from the tobacco industry. Anti-smoking groups for decades have sounded the alarm on menthol in cigarettes, arguing they contribute to disproportionate health burdens on Black communities and play a role in luring young people into smoking.
The FDA declined to comment on the report from Post, which cited unidentified administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to a Bernstein research estimate, British American Tobacco Plc generates 55% of its cigarette volumes in the United States from menthols, led by its Newport brand, compared with 30% for Imperial Brands Plc and 17% for Altria Group Inc, the research said.