FDA moves to curb teens’ access to flavored e-cigarettes, ban menthol cigarettes

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced a series of restrictions aimed at combating flavored e-cigarettes and tobacco products that have lured young people into vaping and smoking  (Source: “F.D.A. Seeks Restrictions on Teens’ Access to Flavored E-Cigarettes and a Ban on Menthol Cigarettes,” New York Times, Nov. 15, 2018). 

And in a bold regulatory move, the agency said it would move to outlaw two traditional tobacco products that disproportionately harm African-Americans: Menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.

The proposed menthol ban would be the most aggressive action the FDA has taken against the tobacco industry in nearly a decade. The ban is notable given the Trump administration’s business-friendly approach to regulatory issues. But the proposal is likely to face a protracted legal battle, so it could be years in the making.

Analysis of HPIO’s 2017 Health Value Dashboard found that tobacco use is one of the key factors contributing to Ohio’s poor performance on health value. Ohio ranks in the bottom quartile for both adult smoking and secondhand smoke exposure for children. HPIO has created a number of publications and resources to explore the issue and determine potential policy solutions in Ohio.