Biden administration drops plan to ban menthol cigarettes

Biden administration drops plan to ban menthol cigarettes, per WSJ.

"This rule has attracted significant attention, and the public comment period has generated a large amount of feedback, including from various civil rights and criminal justice groups," stated Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in a Friday announcement.

"It is evident that more discussions are needed, and this will require a significant amount of time."

Plans for a ban on menthol have been under consideration for several years, but the final rule has been delayed, with the Biden administration recently missing an internal deadline to issue a final rule on the matter.

Public opinion on a potential ban has been divided, with public health organizations urging the White House to proceed with the ban, while some criminal justice organizations argue that it unfairly criminalizes a product that is highly popular among Black smokers.

Health officials had initially aimed to publish the rule to ban menthol last August. However, at the end of last year, the Biden administration postponed the ban until March following intense lobbying from critics, including the tobacco industry. The White House seemed concerned that such a move could upset Black smokers and potentially harm President Biden's reelection chances.

In an attempt to pressure the administration to take action, three anti-tobacco public health groups filed a lawsuit earlier this month against the Food and Drug Administration and its parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been conducting meetings with stakeholders for months, including tobacco industry lobbyists, public health advocates, industry-affiliated organizations, and civil rights groups.

Representative Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, expressed disappointment with reports of the White House's plans on Friday.

"The FDA's experts have clearly stated that menthol cigarettes are harmful to public health. This is a sensible plan that could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives," said Kelly.

"The increased use of menthols among Black Americans has led to the Black community disproportionately suffering from tobacco-related diseases such as heart disease, lung cancer, and strokes," she added. "I will continue to collaborate with the Biden-Harris Administration to mitigate the harmful effects of tobacco on communities of color and ensure that health equity remains a focal point of federal public health policy."