From the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/):
Huge news: The FDA announced that it intends to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars — a critical first step toward ending decades of predatory marketing by Big Tobacco to kids and Black Americans. This is a victory for our movement and a truly historic opportunity to protect kids from tobacco addiction, advance health equity, and save lives.
But now is no time to rest.
While the FDA said it would issue draft regulations within a year, we cannot afford to wait that long to save lives — and Big Tobacco is already fighting this tooth and nail. Every minute the FDA doesn’t hear from us is a minute the tobacco industry’s disinformation campaign could drown us out. Will you help us keep the pressure on?
Sign the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids petition at https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/support-the-fdas-move-to-ban-menthol-cigarettes-and-flavored-cigars-and-tell-them-to-act-quickly to tell the FDA you support their decision to prohibit menthol cigarettes — and urge them to act quickly.
Your voice matters so much in this moment. Here’s why:
Prohibiting menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars would be the strongest action our nation has ever taken to drive down the number of kids who start smoking and are eventually sickened and killed by tobacco.
It will crack down on the tobacco industry’s most pernicious tactic to lure and addict kids, and put an end to Big Tobacco’s targeting of Black communities with menthol cigarettes — a form of institutional racism that has taken a devastating toll on Black lives and health, is a major cause of health disparities, and must be stopped once and for all.
The power of our collective voice got us this far. The FDA issued its decision in response to a citizen petition filed by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and other public health groups — and a subsequent lawsuit by our partner organizations.
FDA action is even more critical because of the Covid-19 pandemic. We know that smoking increases the risk of severe illness from Covid-19, which disproportionately impacts Black Americans and other communities of color.
There’s simply too much at stake to remain silent.
Add your name: Urge the FDA to move quickly and turn their decision into life-saving action!
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