Biden Considering a Ban on Menthol Cigarettes

WASHINGTON - Jan. 10, 2024 - PRLog -- The Washington Post reports that "White House officials are wrestling with one of the most consequential public health decisions of President Biden's term: whether to enact a nationwide ban on menthol cigarettes, which are a leading cause of death among Black Americans."

This move, which is long overdue, could save hundreds of thousands of lives, primarily within the African American community, says public interest law professor John Banzhaf, who, along with former HHS Secretary Louis Sullivan, started the ball rolling on such a ban many years ago.

The lawsuit to finally force the FDA to close this "lethal racist loophole" was brought by Action on Smoking and Health [ASH] and other organizations, and subsequently joined by the American Medical Association [AMA].

Banzhaf, the founder of ASH, has fought the use of menthol in cigarettes for dozens of years, and brought the earlier law suit which first provided the basis for the FDA to declare nicotine to be an addictive as well as a deadly drug, contrary to the conclusions of the first Surgeon General's report on smoking.

Banning menthol from cigarettes, because of its very strong appeal to African Americans, and especially young Black smokers, would save many thousands of lives; more each year than gun control and police reform efforts, says Banzhaf, and spokespersons for other organizations.
As Banzhaf, who has been called "a Driving Force Behind the Lawsuits That Have Cost Tobacco Companies Billions of Dollars," recently announced, a "lethal racist loophole," which kills more African Americans each year than all police shootings, is apparently about to be closed.

As the Washington Post had reported, the FDA will soon have to rule on whether to ban all flavored cigarettes "in response to a lawsuit by the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and Action on Smoking and Health."

The American Medical Association [AMA] subsequently added its huge fire power to this law suit brought by these two antismoking organizations in an effort to force the FDA to finally ban the sale of cigarettes flavored with menthol because they have a special appeal to - and help addict and kill - children who are African American.

Banzhaf, "The Law Professor Who Masterminded Litigation Against the Tobacco Industry," has been fighting what the San Francisco Public Library called the "Tobacco Industry's [History of] Targeting of the Black Community; From Chattel Slavery to Menthol Slavery" for dozens of years.

A copy of the law suit may be found at: http://banzhaf.net/MentholLawSuit.pdf

http://banzhaf.net/ jbanzhaf3ATgmail.com @profbanzhaf