On April 29th, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they will start the procedure to propose tobacco product standards to ban menthol (or “mint”) cigarettes and all flavored cigars, including cigarillos or small cigars. For the tobacco control community, this is a long-awaited and welcomed move by the FDA. Yet, the announcement is only the start of a long process that may yield new regulations on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Between the announcement and action are periods of public comments, additional debates, and opposition from special interests groups who value profits over lives. Now more than ever, communities are needed to mobilize to ensure that community voices are heard during this important move towards health equity.
Below are four important points from research and science that community organizations should know as they communicate with citizens and other organizations. These points highlight the importance of a menthol cigarette and flavored cigar ban in bringing health equity to all communities.
1. THE FDA ANNOUNCEMENT IS IN RESPONSE TO A COMMUNITY PETITION
(NOT A MEANS TO OPPRESS COMMUNITIES OR TAKE AWAY INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS)
This process was a direct response to a citizen-based petition1 based on the overwhelming science that menthol is used to target marginalized and under-resourced communities, particularly the African American, Southeast Asian, Hispanics/Latinx, low-income, and rural communities.2-3 As noted by the Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D.: “Banning menthol—the last allowable flavor—in cigarettes and banning all flavors in cigars will help save lives, particularly among those disproportionately affected by these deadly products. With these actions, the FDA will help significantly reduce youth initiation, increase the chances of smoking cessation among current smokers, and address health disparities experienced by communities of color, low-income populations, and LGBTQ+ individuals, all of whom are far more likely to use these tobacco products.”4
2. MENTHOLS INCREASE NICOTINE ADDICTION
There is established evidence pointing to the harms of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products. Using menthol is linked to greater nicotine addiction and unsuccessful quit attempts among smokers who want to quit.5 In fact, scientists conducting laboratory studies report that menthol flavor triggers nicotine cravings.6
The science is very, very clear: menthol is not just flavor. The tobacco industry uses menthol and mint flavoring to mask nicotine’s bitter taste and harshness of tobacco smoke, making it easier to start smoking and harder to quit.7 Indeed, menthol flavoring is so effective in masking tobacco’s harshness when smoking or vaping, that it can even mask the early signs of tobacco-related diseases!8
3. THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF TARGETING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, PARTICULARLY WITH MENTHOL CIGARETTES AND FLAVORED CIGARS
The FDA’s announcement is a step towards health equity and racial justice. Again, the science is crystal clear: menthol cigarette marketing, such as advertisements and price promotions, targets communities of color, including the African American community.9-10 For more than 50 years, the tobacco industry has targeted the African American community, including enlisting African American celebrities to promote menthol cigarettes, and placing more advertisements for menthol cigarettes brands like Kool and Newport in predominantly African American neighborhoods and African American-owned media. A recent study conducted in Los Angeles County showed that storefront ads and cheaper prices for menthol cigarettes were more common in neighborhoods with more African American residents.11 As a result, in surveys, 80 percent of African American smokers report smoking menthol cigarettes.12
Moreover, there is a long history of targeted marketing to other communities of color, including campaigns geared specifically to increase Hispanic/Latinx and youth smokers, particularly through menthol.2 The tobacco industry continued the trend by targeting our communities with large and small flavored cigars that have fewer restrictions than cigarettes.11 These products are just as harmful as cigarettes, yet are widely available in appealing flavors, and sold in singles for less than $1. Popular flavored small cigar brands include Swisher Sweets, Black & Mild, and Backwoods.
4. MENTHOLS ARE A GATEWAY FOR SMOKING AMONG YOUTH
The tobacco industry uses flavored tobacco as a highly effective strategy to attract new young smokers. Evidence shows that teenagers experimenting with smoking are more likely to smoke when tobacco products are flavored, particularly menthol and mint.12 Menthol flavor decreases the harsh effects of smoking, making it easier for smokers, including young smokers, to enjoy smoking.5 Evidence shows that youth who start using tobacco start with mint/menthol.13 14 Over 50% of youth smoke menthol cigarettes14 and over 90% of African American smokers reported using menthols when they first started smoking.9
In addition to its role as a gateway for smoking, menthols may also slow the progress we’ve made in curbing youth smoking. Youth smoking for non-menthol cigarettes is decreasing, but that decrease is not seen in youth use of menthol cigarettes. Indeed, some research has documented an increase in menthol cigarette use among youth.15 Further, cigars are just as popular as cigarettes, if not more.16 In this regard, it is clear that banning menthols and flavored cigars is key to curbing youth smoking and preventing a generation from suffering tobacco-related diseases and death.
