United States Authorities Announce Ban On Menthol Cigarettes And Flavor Cigars

Cigarette illustration. (Wikimedia Commons / Olivia de Salve Villedieu)

JAKARTA - The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday, April 29 local time proposed a ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, which anti-smoking and civil rights groups warmly welcomed.

The proposed ban could take years to implement, as well as fierce legal resistance from cigarette manufacturers who have repeatedly blocked anti-tobacco laws.

Anti-smoking groups have argued for decades that menthol cigarettes contribute to a disproportionate health burden on the black community and often attract young people to smoke.

The president of the Tobacco-Free Children Campaign Matthew Myers said the latest step could be the strongest action the United States has ever taken to reduce the number of children starting smoking.

The FDA statement sent the shares of several cigarette manufacturers in America falling, such as Sahama Altria Group Inc., British America Tobacco Plc., and Imperial Brands Plc. which fell by about 1 percent, according to Reuters on Friday, April 30.

"US menthol cigarettes account for about 25 percent of BAT's profits, 20 percent for Altria and 15 percent for Imperial, according to broker Jefferies.

Altria and Reynolds America, a BAT unit, said they would evaluate the proposal. While Imperial's US business, ITG Brands, said it was disappointing, but not unexpected.

"We had the same goal of moving adult smokers from cigarettes to potentially less dangerous alternatives, but the ban didn't work", said Altria Spokesman, maker of Marlboro.

"The criminalization of menthol will have serious, undesirable consequences", the spokesman continued.

Menthol smoking is banned in many US states, including California and Massachusetts, and smoking rates in those states have decreased over the years. However, menthol cigarettes still control more than a third of the overall industry market share.

The FDA was forced to act by an April 29 court deadline to respond to a citizen petition from 2013 calling for a ban on menthol cigarettes.

Last week, a WSJ report said the Joe Biden Administration was considering limiting nicotine levels in cigarettes.

"Lowering the nicotine content in cigarettes is still being considered. It's on the table, but we haven't finished deliberating on the issue", said FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock.