The US Food and Drug Administration has received over 110,000 comments regarding the proposed rule to end the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes, as well as nearly 60,000 comments regarding the proposed rule to ban the description of cigar flavors.
Many individuals and business owners have written letters in opposition to the ban, claiming that it will result in layoffs.
A tobacco retailer in Florida wrote, "If implemented, this proposal could harm American retailers and wholesalers and directly impact my bottom line. The target of this ban is a significant portion of my income; menthol cigarettes alone account for 36% of all cigarette sales in the US. Additionally, adult customers who purchase menthol cigarettes also happen to buy gasoline, food, and other items from my store.
Thousands of online submissions came from menthol cigarette smokers, who believe that the proposed restrictions are an unfair attack on personal freedom.
A respondent wrote, "This regulation goes far beyond the government's authority over the American people. We have age restrictions for a reason, and once you reach that age, you should be able to choose to use any legal product you want.
Others support the proposal, stating that removing menthol and other flavorings would improve health and help address racial injustice.
Kaelor Gordon stated that banning menthol in cigarettes is a necessary step towards promoting health fairness and improving overall health. They added that unfortunately, this substance unfairly bears the burden of smoking-related illnesses and deaths, so banning menthol aligns with the current strong anti-racism and health fairness culture we have today.
The FDA has extended the comment period from July 5, 2022, to August 2, 2022.
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