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Around eight in 10 African American smokers consume menthol cigarettes, compared with three in 10 white smokers – Copyright AFP\/File MOHAMMED ABED<\/small><\/em><\/p>\nIssam AHMED<\/em><\/p>\nPresident Joe Biden\u2019s government on Friday said it was taking more time to consider a ban on menthol cigarettes, amid fears it could alienate Black voters in a tough election year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Food and Drug Administration began working on a proposal that classifies menthol as a flavor \u2014 and thus lead to its prohibition \u2014 in 2021, and the rule was supposed to have been finalized last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Health secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement the matter \u201chas garnered historic attention and the public comment period has yielded an immense amount of feedback, including from various elements of the civil rights and criminal justice movement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s clear that there are still more conversations to have, and that will take significantly more time,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Black smokers are far more likely to buy menthol cigarettes than white smokers, leading to claims from some \u2014 including those with links to the tobacco industry \u2014 that a ban would disproportionately impact African Americans.<\/p>\n
Around eight in 10 African American smokers consume menthol cigarettes, compared with three in 10 white smokers.<\/p>\n
\u201cSmoking is bad for you, no question about it, but if it\u2019s a health issue, why aren\u2019t you banning all cigarettes?\u201d Al Sharpton, a prominent civil rights activist and a vocal opponent of regulation, asked at an event in 2019.<\/p>\n
In the lead up to the FDA proposal, he wrote a letter to the Biden White House saying \u201ca menthol ban would exacerbate existing, simmering issues around racial profiling, discrimination and policing.\u201d<\/p>\n
And with the presidential election approaching, Republican groups are looking to poach crucial African American votes.<\/p>\n
In South Carolina, conservative group Building America\u2019s Future sent letters to around 75,000 Democrat voters in February listing Biden\u2019s proposed menthol cigarette ban as a reason not to vote for him in that month\u2019s primary vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n
An ad from the group said Biden should focus on bigger priorities, rather than \u201ctelling adults what they can and can\u2019t do.\u201d<\/p>\n
American Lung Association spokeswoman Erika Sward told AFP: \u201cThe president has failed to follow the science.\u201d<\/p>\n
Menthol, she said, has certain anesthetic properties that help mask the harshness and irritation of tobacco smoke, which made it a gateway drug for regular cigarettes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes the poison go down easier, which means that kids who experiment with cigarettes with menthol cigarettes are much more likely to go on to become addicted and the menthol in cigarettes also makes it harder for black individuals to quit,\u201d said Sward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bottom line is that today\u2019s news is very disappointing and ultimately will lead to more deaths.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the country, with some 480,000 tobacco-related fatalities recorded each year.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
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#Biden #stalls #menthol #cigarette #ban #fearing #Black #vote #backlash<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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