According to a report by Cleveland19 on January 24, Washington, D.C. held a "funeral" for menthol cigarettes last week. However, in Ohio, menthol and other flavored tobacco products continue to thrive. Especially in the city of Cleveland, where the smoking rate is as high as 35%, the sale of these products remains legal.
Dr. David Magoris, the Director of the Department of Public Health in Cleveland, has expressed concern over the city's alarmingly high smoking rate, which stands at a staggering 35%. In comparison, smoking rates have declined to 11% in other parts of the country.
Despite the city of Columbus banning the sale of menthol and flavored tobacco since January 1st this year, the implementation of this ban is currently facing difficulty due to legislation passed by the Ohio General Assembly, which prohibits cities from enforcing such restrictions.
Cleveland Mayor Bibb urged mayors nationwide in a conference call, saying, "We need President Biden and his administration to step up and save the thousands of lives in our city.
In February of last year, the Cleveland City Council proposed legislation to ban these products, but some council members expressed concerns about the potential negative impact on small businesses after the implementation of such legislation.
The Cleveland branch of the NAACP has accused tobacco companies of targeting ethnic minorities and children. Branch director Keila Griffin stated, "They know that if they get them addicted from a young age, they will have lifelong customers." She believes that public policy should take action in considering the best interests of young people.
Dr. Margolis believes that banning menthol and flavored tobacco will bring dual benefits: "We will restrict the sales of flavored products, preventing children from starting smoking and making it easier for adults to quit." He stated that smoking-related diseases are the leading cause of death in Cleveland, therefore reducing the number of smokers is a top health priority for the health department.
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