In 2009, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act made the sale of most flavored additives, including fruit and candy flavoring, illegal in the United States. This was done in order to protect youth and young adults.

However, the law exempted menthol-flavored cigarettes, which are preferred by most youth and young adult tobacco users because they are perceived as less harsh and easier to smoke.

The evidence that menthol needs to be banned is clear. And the FDA can choose to ban it. This is doubly important to do because menthol is disproportionately used by people of color and vulnerable populations. As just two examples: 84% of all African Americans who smoke and 71% of LGBT youth who smoke are using menthol cigarettes.

Banning menthol saves lives and money and makes sense. A recent study found that simply removing menthol from cigarettes should save 600,000 lives by 2050.

WE NEED TO ACT! Join the list of individuals, organization, government agencies, and others calling on the FDA to remove menthol flavoring from tobacco products!