US senators call on FDA to ban sale of menthol cigarettes

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

US senators call on FDA to ban sale of menthol cigarettes

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BOSTON — Aug 26, 2017, 9:37 AM ET

U.S. Sen. Edward Markey is calling for a ban on menthol cigarettes, arguing that tobacco companies disproportionately target African-Americans when they market and promote the cigarettes.

The Massachusetts Democrat is leading a group of fellow senators in calling on the Food and Drug Administration to prohibit the cigarettes, noting that African-Americans suffer the greatest burden of tobacco-related mortality of any ethnic or racial group in the U.S.

The letter to the FDA sent earlier this week was also signed by fellow Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, of Rhode Island, and Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut.

The letter notes that in 2011, the FDA conducted a scientific review that concluded "menthol cigarettes pose a public health risk above that seen with non-menthol cigarettes."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-senators-call-fda-ban-sale-menthol-cigarettes-49435388

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Not only target AA, but kids in other countries.

Tobacco companies have huge sales overseas. Vice did a piece on that a year or so ago. Menthol is a huge seller overseas, kids take to it easily. I remember part of teh Vice program showed a 4 year old puffing away.