Biden criticized for not banning menthol cigarettes after Trump withdraws proposal
The Biden administration never finalized a ban on menthol cigarettes, and the Trump administration withdrew the proposal. The American Lung Association is criticizing Biden's inaction.
When Joe Biden’s administration announced its intent to ban menthol cigarettes, the medical community welcomed the news, anticipating that it could save hundreds of thousands of lives over several decades and encourage more people to quit smoking.
Though flavored cigarettes have been banned in the U.S. since 2009, menthol is the lone exception. The flavor improves the taste of cigarettes and reduces the feeling of throat irritation, which can make the cigarettes particularly addictive.
The Biden administration announced its interest in banning menthol cigarettes in 2021, then proposed a formal rule the next year. Public health experts anticipated that the rule would be finalized in the summer of 2023, but the deadline came and went. The administration then postponed the decision until spring 2024, at which point it said it needed even more time.
Biden left office without finalizing the rule, and the Trump administration withdrew the proposal last week. Menthol appears poised to remain in cigarettes indefinitely.
The American Lung Association — the country’s leading authority on lung health — on Wednesday criticized Biden for the missed opportunity.
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