Q&A: Learning the truth about menthol’s impact on African Americans

In honor of Black History Month, Truth Initiative spoke with truth College Leader Courtney Butler about her experience attending the 2022 “Finishing the Fight” Youth Menthol Convening and third National Menthol Conference. Read about her experience, and why she is passionate about ending flavored tobacco sales.

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Tobacco industry has fueled false claims that eliminating menthol cigarettes will put Black Americans at greater risk from law enforcement

The FDA proposal to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars has the potential to save millions of lives, especially those of Black Americans who have long been targeted with predatory marketing and use these products at disproportionately high rates. The tobacco industry has attempted to spread fear that menthol bans unfairly target African Americans and would lead to further criminalization of the community.

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Tobacco in pop culture

With the 95th annual Academy Awards coming up next month, it’s hard to ignore the role that tobacco imagery plays in entertainment media and popular culture. Young people with high exposure to images of tobacco – cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and other products – in popular streaming and TV shows have three times the odds of starting to vape compared to their peers with no exposure.

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This week in tobacco policy news

California – A bill introduced in the Assembly would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to those born after 2007, resulting in the eventual total phase out of tobacco sales in the state.
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Georgia – The Senate passed a bill to include e-cigarettes in the state’s Smoke-Free Air Act. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
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Utah – A bill introduced in the House would add a $25 e-cigarette product hazardous waste disposal fee to the permit fees required for tobacco specialty businesses.
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