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BThe absence of advocacy groups on Thursday expressed hope that their goal of banning menthol cigarettes for several decades is about to end, while the Food and Drug Administration announced a proposal to ban these products.
The FDA tabled a proposal Thursday to ban sales of menthol and flavored cigars and to limit sales of flavored electronic cigarette products in convenience stores. The implementation of any ban is not over yet and the tobacco industry will face strong resistance, but the news has garnered applause from black groups. Black health groups have been fighting against menthol cigarettes for years, claiming that tobacco companies sell these products to blacks to keep them addicted.
"For decades, the data show that the tobacco industry has successfully and intentionally marketed menthol cigarettes to African Americans," NAACP said in a statement welcoming the proposal.
The group added that menthol cigarettes are more difficult to stop and that smoking is a "major contributor to heart disease, cancer and stroke – three of the leading causes of death among African Americans".
The National Urban League said Monday in a statement that the news of a ban was revealed that the FDA needed to act "urgently" to implement any ban.
The Council of African-American Tobacco Control Leaders also welcomed this initiative and called for speedy implementation.
"If the FDA really wants to protect public health and if we think that is the case, it is imperative that menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars be limited and recognized as a social injustice, an issue that has a disproportionate impact on communities. poor, marginalized groups, and especially communities of color, "said the group in a statement.
A 2009 law banned flavored cigarettes but did not affect menthol flavored tobacco products.
But some cities and counties have banned or restricted menthol aromas. Voters in San Francisco confirmed the ban on aromas at the poll in June, despite the $ 12 million the tobacco industry had implemented to defeat it.
According to CNBC, menthol products account for about 35% of all tobacco sales in the United States.
The major tobacco companies have already made it known that they are ready to fight.
"Current science does not support treating them differently than other cigarettes," said tobacco giant R. Reynolds said in a statement on the ban on menthol.
The big cigarette maker Altria, formerly known as Philip Morris, gave the same defense of keeping menthol aromas.
"We continue to believe that a total ban on menthol cigarettes or flavored cigars would be an extreme measure unsupported by science and evidence," the company said. "We expect the establishment of product standards for menthol and flavored cigars to be a multi-year process of deliberation, and we will fully participate in this process."
The tobacco lobby provides millions of dollars to lobby each election cycle. The industry has spent $ 16.7 million on lobbying this year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Some Republicans said Thursday that they were in favor of an FDA ban.
"If we can get people to wear the seatbelt, we can start to wonder whether you should have menthol cigarettes or not," said Senator Mike Rounds, R-N.D. Washington Examiner.
Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued a joint statement with Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Praising the FDA's decision to restrict the sale of flavored electronic cigarette products.
"The FDA is finally going in the right direction by repressing the sale of child-friendly flavors in electronic cigarettes and cigars and improving online age verification for sales of these addictive products," said senators.
At the same time, Democrats have called on the FDA to go further.
"I will be watching closely to see that we do not miss this crucial opportunity to reverse the alarming trend of increasing youth smoking," said Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash. In a statement. "Today's announcement is an important step, but too much is at stake to be satisfied."
Republican Senator Richard Burr, who represents North Carolina, sits R.J. Reynolds Headquarters issued a very uplifting statement following the announcement of the proposed ban.
"This is not the first time the FDA has been trying to ban menthol, but these efforts have been unsuccessful in the past," Burr said in a statement.
He added that it is "disturbing" that an administration that "is committed to placing America in the foreground is targeting US-made legal products rather than focusing on the states." who flout federal drug laws. "
Senator Thom Tillis, NCR, told the Washington Examiner Thursday, he was not aware of the ban.
Congress could pass legislation to end the regulation or put pressure on the agency to ban or mitigate it.
But several Republican senators said they were unaware of the proposal.
Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, swept a survey of the proposal on the basis of his own experience with tobacco. "Since I do not smoke and have never thought I'm qualified to answer this question," he said.
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