Menthol Cigarette Ban May Be Delayed Into Next Year
NBC News reports that officials from national public health groups say that a ban on the flavored cigarettes may not be announced by the end of this year. Meanwhile, chemical additives are being used to replace menthol in new "fresh" alternative-flavored cigarettes.
NBC News:
Long-Awaited Ban On Menthol Cigarettes Could Be Delayed Into 2024, Public Health Groups Fear
The long-awaited ban on menthol cigarettes may not be announced by the end of the year, but pushed to 2024, according to officials from two national public health groups working to remove the products from the market. Both requested anonymity to discuss the decision ahead of any announcement from the Biden administration. The delay could be announced as early as next week, they suggested. (Edwards and Miller, 12/1)
In case you missed it —
Yale School Of Public Health:
Chemical Additives Replace Menthol In New ‘Non-Menthol’ Cigarettes
Some “non-menthol” cigarettes that are being marketed as a “fresh” alternative in states where traditional menthol cigarettes are banned use synthetic chemicals to mimic menthol’s distinct cooling sensations, researchers at Yale and Duke University have found. The synthetic additives could undermine existing policies and a U.S. Food and Drug Administration ban on menthol cigarettes expected later this year that is intended to discourage new smokers and address the harmful health effects of tobacco use. (Poltras, 10/16)
In other news from the Biden administration —
The New York Times:
Scientists In Discredited Alcohol Study Will Not Advise U.S. On Drinking Guidelines
Five years ago, the National Institutes of Health abruptly pulled the plug on an ambitious study about the health effects of moderate drinking. The reason: The trial’s principal scientist and officials from the federal agency’s own alcohol division had solicited $60 million for the research from alcohol manufacturers, a conflict of interest and a violation of federal policy. Recently, that scientist and another colleague from the aborted study with alcohol industry ties were named to a committee preparing a report on alcohol and health that will be used to update the federal government’s guidelines on alcohol consumption. (Rabin, 12/1)
