Biden Delays Ban on Menthol Cigarettes

The proposal had been under development for several years with the aim of reducing the mortality rates of Black smokers who were being targeted by Big Tobacco. The president's concerns about his popularity among Black voters during an election year might have played a role in the decision to delay the proposal.

Public health organizations advocating for the prohibition of menthol cigarettes have pointed to extensive data indicating that these cigarettes, which have been heavily marketed to African American smokers, encourage smoking initiation and hinder cessation efforts.

The Biden administration said on Friday that it was delaying a decision on whether to ban menthol cigarettes, effectively quashing a proposal that has divided Black American voters and fueled million-dollar lobbying campaigns from the tobacco industry in this presidential election year.

The White House has faced considerable resistance from the cigarette companies that would lose billions of dollars if they could no longer sell menthol cigarettes. Opponents took to the airwaves to warn of a spike in cartel traffic along the border from counterfeit cigarette smuggling and of police violence targeting Black residents if a ban were in force.

Those efforts posed risks for President Biden, whose support among Black voters has at times slipped in recent months.

Some of Mr. Biden’s top health officials have said that a ban would save lives and protect against lung cancer, which is a higher risk for Black smokers, who have historically favored menthol cigarettes and are heavily targeted by tobacco companies.