Trump’s administration has pulled a plan that would have banned menthol cigarettes from the United States. This is a blow to health regulators, as well as activists.
In April 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed to ban flavored cigars and cigarettes with menthol after several health advocacy organizations said that they were highly addictive and a factor in encouraging young people to smoke.
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (a White House agency) filed a document on Jan. 21, showing that the proposal had been “withdrawn.”
Menthol cigarettes have been criticized for having a disproportionately negative impact on Black communities. They account for a third of the total market share of the tobacco industry in the United States.
In October 2023 the FDA sent the final version of their regulation to the White House Office of Management and Budget. The Biden administration then had to sign it off before the FDA could implement the rule.
The White House has agreed to host dozens of meetings to discuss the issue with groups that oppose the rule. These include civil rights activists, business owners, and law enforcement officials. However, deadlines for the government to release a final ruling on the ban in December 2023 or March 2024 have passed.
The annual revenue of cigarette companies like Altria or British American Tobacco would have been reduced by billions.
BATS and Altria declined comment while the FDA cited a temporary pause of public communication due to the transition from one team to another.
