In, "FDA Advances Ban on Menthol Cigarettes" (The Wall Street Journal, April 28, 2022), the Biden administration’s proposed national ban on menthol cigarettes is discussed. The plan, which has been in the works for more than two decades, is the biggest move to curb cigarette sales since 2009, and the policy would save hundreds of thousands of lives.
The Pollock Cohen team represented the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the FDA which was initiated by the following organizations behind the Citizen Petition: Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the National Medical Association (NMA).
The Wall Street Journal article notes that the ban, “… also addresses health disparities across racial groups: In the U.S., 81% of Black smokers and 51% of Hispanic smokers used menthols in 202, compared with 30% of white smokers, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Smoking is a major contributor to heart disease, cancer and strokes—the three leading causes of death among African-Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” And Black people in the U.S. die at a higher rate than other groups from smoking-related cancers, according to CDC research.
The Plaintiffs released a joint statement after the FDA's action celebrating this "powerful step towards banning menthol and saving lives, especially Black lives."
To read the full article and the joint statement, click on the links to the right (subscription may be required).
