Plan to ban menthol cigarettes prompts late lobbying blitz

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON (AP) — As federal officials finalize a long-awaited plan to ban menthol cigarettes, dozens of interest groups have met with White House staffers to try to influence the process, which has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives while wiping out billions in tobacco sales.

Biden administration officials have heard from tobacco lobbyists, anti-smoking advocates, civil rights groups, small business owners and conservative think tanks. The lobbying push underscores the far-reaching impacts of banning menthol, which accounts for over one-third of the U.S. cigarette market.

The White House concluded its review of the Food and Drug Administration's proposal Thursday after nearly 40 virtual meetings with outside groups, according to a government website. The FDA has pledged to lay out a detailed proposal for phasing out the flavor by month’s end, meaning an official announcement could come next week.

Meeting materials posted online show nearly all the groups opposing the ban have financial ties to tobacco companies, including businesses that sell cigarettes and nonprofit groups that receive charitable contributions.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/plan-to-ban-menthol-cigarettes-prompts-late-lobbying-blitz/ar-AAWuBgG

[Darwins_Retriever]

1. I think they just increased profits

Tobacco companies will develop something to carry on the menthol goodness:

liquid drops, liquid to soak the cigarettes, something that can be inserted.

[jimfields33]

2. I'm sure voters who smoke menthols will be pissed off.

[SledDriver]

5. I am

I didn't vote for someone to take away my one vice.
Not a wise move when you're behind the eight ball and every vote is needed. It's going to piss off a lot of voters.

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. Prohibition is stupid.

As a liberal, I’m against this bullshit.

[Demsrule86]

4. Me too.

[Spider Jerusalem]

6. Menthol cigarettes have been banned in Canada since 2017 and in the EU since 2020

I wouldn't be surprised if cigarettes aren't banned for sale altogether in another 20 years. The proportion of the population who smoke has declined by half over the past 25 years (from 25% to around 12.5%), and that will only continue to decrease as older smokers die off.