Health Experts are Urging FDA to Prohibit Menthol Cigarettes

Major public health experts are calling the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prohibit menthol cigarettes from sale in the United States, and stated that many articles published in the American Journal of Public Health provide evidences for doing so.

One article demonstrates a study which calculated that if a ban was to be introduced now, it could prevent about 600,000 premature American deaths by 2050.
 The second article shows a survey that provide evidences that a ban on menthol cigarettes sales would be backed by more than a half of the American population and a significant number of African Americans.
And the last article reports a study in which are presented evidences that it is harder to quit smoking for those who give preference to menthol cigarettes.

All these articles were based on the recent study conducted by the National Cancer Institute, which found that 38% of all menthol smokers, including African American smokers, stated they would stop smoking, if the US would prohibit menthol tobacco products.

A month ago, the FDA's Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) declared that prohibiting menthol cigarettes, which total for 30% of US all cigarette sales, would improve public health.
Probably menthol cigarettes are the last flavored cigarettes not prohibited in the US. The FDA is examining its conclusions and soon will make a decision.

A lot of organizations such as: American Public Health Association, the tobacco-rejection campaign and the American Academy of Pediatrics stand in favor of menthol cigarettes ban and call FDA to do it as soon as possible.
Dr. David Abrams, representative of the Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research participated at elaboration of all three articles. He declared at the press conference that: “I think that with presentation of these articles and public support for a ban on menthol cigarettes, now is the right time for the FDA to finally start doing something on this matter.”

Dr. Georges Benjamin, director of the American Public Health Association, stated: “The several researches and opinions of scientists at present confirm that menthol flavorings attract youngsters to start smoking and then makes it harder to quit.” “Menthol cigarettes is a straight way towards a lifetime of smoking and consequently smoking related diseases, mostly for African American who prefer menthol cigarettes,” stated Aisha Moodie-Mills representative of the LGBT Policy & Racial Justice at the Center for American Progress.

A co-author of these articles that consider tobacco regulation and policies, Dr Cheryl G. Healton, manager and CEO of Legacy, stated “the evidence supporting a menthol ban is scientifically proved and corresponds to the language in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act”.