Biden administration abandons plan to ban menthol cigarettes, citing 'feedback'
An anti-smoking advocate says the decision to leave menthol cigarettes on the market "prioritizes politics over lives, especially Black lives."
menthol ban
With a federal menthol ban looming, tobacco companies push 'non-menthol' substitutes
The alternatives have a similar taste, packaging and marketing. Anti-smoking activists say this is a way to get around state and federal bans.
The fight over banning menthol cigarettes has a long history steeped in race
Black smokers make up menthol tobacco's largest market, and have the highest rates of lung cancer. But the fight over banning menthol is a complex and divisive issue in the Black community.