The American Lung Association is criticizing the Biden Administration for not acting quickly on a proposal to ban menthol cigarettes.
The annual state of tobacco control report, released Wednesday, indicates that delay in ending the ban on menthol cigarettes will result in more deaths and illnessesespecially among African American smokers, who are disproportionately more likely to consume menthol products.
In October, the Food and Drug Administration sent the final rules on this issue to the White House for review.
However, the White House Office of Management and Budget has not yet given the go-ahead for the FDA’s regulatory action.
A timeline on the final rule for menthol products released last month indicated the matter would be decided in March.
The report indicates that the White House’s lack of action on this issue prioritizes politics and tobacco industry profits over public health.
