A proposed ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars was withdrawn by the Trump administration, a blow to public health advocates who blame the addiction for thousands of premature deaths.
A draft of the decision to ban menthol was listed as “withdrawn” in a regulatory document earlier this week. Shares of cigarette makers, Altria Group Inc., rose after the news on Friday. Shares rose as much as 1.9% in New York and British American Tobacco Plc rose 0.4% in London.
The proposal gained political steam during the 2024 election, as the Biden administration delayed issuing a final rule that would have added menthol to the 2009 list that banned all other flavors in cigarettes. Black Americans, a major voting group, smoke disproportionately more menthol cigarettes than other racial and ethnic groups, and several groups have lobbied against the ban.
While the Food and Drug Administration’s proposal was intended to improve the health of Americans, it would also have hindered individual purchasing decisions. Critics said the latest move is a setback after years of gains from anti-tobacco efforts and considered it a continuation of a predatory policy that mostly affects black smokers.
Philip Gardiner, co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, said putting such a deadly product on the market is “a huge slap in the face,” especially when the ban was so close to being implemented. “This is something we’ve been fighting for for 15 years,” he said. “To put it bluntly, this is a continuation of a racist policy.”
Anti-tobacco groups said the impact would not be limited to one group of smokers, pointing out that the Trump administration’s decision runs counter to its stated aim of improving health in the US.
“Withdrawal of the FDA’s proposed rule to ban menthol would have really serious consequences for Americans,” said Kelsey Romeo-Stuppi, managing attorney at Action on Smoking and Health. “If the Trump Administration wants to make America healthy again, they must allow the FDA to ban menthol.”
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in America. Romeo-Stuppi said research shows that 1.3 million Americans are likely to quit if the US bans menthol in tobacco products.
“Any policy that helps millions of Americans quit smoking would be a major success,” he said.
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