Why health experts say a Biden administration ban on menthol cigarettes could help smokers finally quit
The Biden administration has not yet ordered a ban on menthol cigarettes, but health experts believe it could be a game-changer for helping smokers quit the habit.
As the Biden administration moves closer to banning menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, major health organizations are pushing to get the word out to Black smokers that help is available for those who want to quit.
The vast majority of Black smokers in the U.S., 85%, use menthols, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. In 2020, nearly 81% of Black smokers used menthols, compared to 34% of white smokers, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
The disparity is the result of decades-long advertising practices from the tobacco industry, which specifically targeted menthol cigarettes to Black communities, said Carol McGruder, co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, an anti-tobacco public health and advocacy group.
Compared to regular cigarettes, menthols are notoriously addictive and particularly difficult to quit. The rate at which menthol smokers successfully quit is lower than that of nonmenthol smokers, and Black menthol smokers may be even less successful than other groups, according to the CDC.
But across the country, programs that help smokers quit are being underused, as smokers try to quit cold turkey or by taking medications prescribed by their doctor with little to no counseling, said Jennifer Folkenroth, the American Lung Association’s national senior director of tobacco programs.
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