Free Republic

On April 28, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a ban on menthol cigarettes, which are smoked by more than 18.5 million people ages 12 and older. More than 85% of menthol smokers are African American. By comparison, 30% of menthol smokers are white. Menthol cigarettes are also more popular in the Latin and Asian communities. From that date in April, the public, including the tobacco industry, has 60 days to make comments.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 480,000 Americans die from tobacco-related disease, every year. This is including more than 41,000 deaths resulting from...

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Federal regulators are looking at menthol cigarettes for possible new regulations, arguing that the products raise "critical" health concerns. The Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday that it was beginning the process of regulating the variety of flavored cigarettes by gathering comments from the public. “Menthol cigarettes raise critical public health questions,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg in a statement. “The FDA is committed to a science-based approach that addresses the public health issues raised by menthol cigarettes, and public input will help us make more informed decisions about how best to tackle this important issue moving forward.” Among...