4 Major American Health Associations Condemn Failure to Ban Menthol Cigarettes in New York City

Recently, according to a report from Readmedia, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, and the American Cancer Society have released a statement strongly condemning the failure of the New York City Council to ban menthol cigarettes during this session in order to protect the black and brown communities.

New York City's Intro 577 bill, which aims to prohibit the sale of menthol cigarettes, has gained majority support in the City Council. Key backers include civil rights leader Dr. Hazel Dukes and a majority of members from the Black, Latinx, and Asian Council (BLAC). Councilwoman Lynn Shulman, a health advocate, initiated this legislation. These groups are urging the council to hold hearings on this bill as soon as the new session commences.

These organizations wrote in the letter:

Over the past couple of years, we have patiently awaited for the city council to push forward a crucial bill that protects New Yorkers from the harmful effects of menthol cigarettes. However, despite garnering support from half of the council, the health committee has either refused or potentially been hindered from holding hearings on the bill. As a leading health organization in New York, we are extremely disappointed.

The article alleges that for decades, major tobacco companies have aggressively marketed flavored tobacco products to minors in an effort to attract a new generation of smokers, particularly within communities of color. Menthol cigarettes have specifically been sold to young individuals, resulting in a disproportionate negative impact on the health of Black Americans. Black smokers are reported to be 18% more likely than white smokers to die from smoking-related illnesses, further emphasizing the disparity in mortality rates.

In New York City, 89% of African American adult smokers and 63% of Hispanic adult smokers use menthol cigarettes, compared to only 32% of white adult smokers. Over half of teenage smokers and 70% of African American teenage smokers choose menthol cigarettes. Additionally, 80% of African American adults prefer menthol cigarettes.

According to a study by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) in the United States, it is estimated that if a bill banning menthol cigarettes is implemented in the city today, nearly 90,000 New Yorkers (mostly African American and Latinx adults) would quit smoking over the next two years, and almost 3,000 young adults would not start smoking.

In 2013, the city council passed a local law prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products, but it did not include menthol cigarettes. In 2019, the New York City council passed legislation banning flavored e-cigarettes, but did not vote to prohibit menthol products.