FDA proposes rules prohibiting menthol cigarettes, flavored cigars
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The FDA proposed prohibiting menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. The new product standards are designed to substantially prevent disease and death from combusted product use and to prevent young people from starting to smoke.
“The proposed rules would help prevent children from becoming the next generation of smokers and help adult smokers quit,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in an FDA news release. “Additionally, the proposed rules represent an important step to advance health equity by significantly reducing tobacco-related health disparities.”
This proposal is based on science and evidence establishing the addictiveness and harm of combusted tobacco products and build on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that prohibits all flavors, other than tobacco and menthol, in cigarettes in 2009, according to the release. The proposal will address manufacturers, distributers, wholesalers, importers and retailers involved with these products in the U.S.
The finalized proposal is meant to accomplish the following:
- Reduce cigarette and cigar appeal specifically among youths and young adults, which will decrease the likelihood or initiation.
- Improve the health and reduce the mortality risk for current smokers using menthol cigarettes through decreasing consumption and increasing cessation likelihood.
- Improve public health by increasing cigar cessation likelihood among current users.
“The authority to adopt tobacco product standards is one of the most powerful tools Congress gave the FDA, and the actions we are proposing can help significantly reduce youth initiation and increase the chances that current smokers quit,” FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, MD, said in the release. “It is clear that these efforts will help save lives. Through the rule-making process, there’s an important opportunity for the public to make their voices heard and help shape the FDA’s ongoing efforts to improve public health.”
Perspective
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Menthol decreases the harshness and increases the addictiveness of cigarettes. Young people who start smoking with menthol are more likely to go on to become regular smokers and less likely to stop. The tobacco industry has targeted marketing of menthol flavored products to communities of color to increase levels of addiction to their deadly product. Cigars with fruit and candy flavors are specifically designed to attract youth.
The proposed rules would not place individual consumers who use the products at risk – the enforcement action targets the only sellers – those who manufacture, distribute, wholesale, import, and retail sales of the products.
There is a strong evidence base supporting the public health benefits of banning menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Prohibitions on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars are critically important tobacco control strategies to protect our youth.
I am hopeful that the FDA will implement this critically important regulation, and that the FDA does not stop at menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Flavors, including mint and menthol need to be banned from chewing tobacco (a US Tobacco – now part of Altria – representative once famously said, “Cherry Skoal is for somebody who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I’m saying.”), from electronic cigarette/vaping products (not restricted to just cartridge-based products), and other tobacco products. Protecting our youth and fulfilling the FDA Center for Tobacco Products responsibility to protect the public health demands no less.
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