Nearly a quarter of menthol cigarette smokers quit one to two years after the menthol ban went into effect, according to a study published Wednesday.
The researchers found that about half of the menthol smokers switched to other cigarettes and another quarter managed to continue smoking menthols. According to the study, the rate of menthol smokers who quit was higher in countries that imposed bans, in contrast to cities or states, as people found it more difficult to drive a few miles to continue purchasing menthol cigarettes.
The Food and Drug Administration has been urging the Biden administration to impose a ban on menthol cigarettes, a goal that has drawn intense opposition from retailers and tobacco companies along with concerns, in a presidential election year, of that could alienate black voters.
Black smokers, who largely favor menthol cigarettes, will also benefit the most from such a ban, public health researchers say, noting that premature deaths from cancer and heart and lung disease could be avoided after a sharp decline in rates. of smoking.
The study looked at the effects of bans in other countries, including Canada and some in the European Union, as well as bans in place in states, including Massachusetts. The researchers reviewed studies, smoking rates and cigarette sales as part of their analysis.
“Our review found that a menthol ban will have a pro-equity impact, meaning we expect smoking to decline more among black people who smoke compared to other racial or ethnic groups,” said lead author Sarah Mills. of the study and assistant professor at the school of public health at the University of North Carolina.
What remains to be seen is whether the White House, perhaps racked by the anti-regulatory backlash against public health measures taken during the coronavirus pandemic, will push for a ban this year. In December, the White House postponed a decision on the proposal until at least March, raising speculation that it would languish while President Biden seeks a second term.
Menthol cigarettes generate billions of dollars in sales each year for opponents of the ban, including Reynolds American, maker of Newport Cigarettes; Altria, maker of menthol Marlboros; and gas stations and convenience stores.
Opponents have mounted a campaign about the possible consequences of a ban, sponsoring commercials that threaten an increase in illicit cigarette trafficking on the U.S.-Mexico border. They have also raised the profile of those predicting a possible increase in police violence against smokers of black menthol cigarettes. But the proposed US ban is not aimed at individuals; Its application is proposed at the manufacturer level.
Public health experts have stepped up their pressure in recent weeks, staging a “menthol funeral” in front of the White House to draw attention to the annual toll of 480,000 deaths related to smoking. Former general surgeons call to the White House earlier this month to “save lives” by immediately ending the ban and “not be distracted by the tobacco industry and its apologists.”
And the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids released its own poll Thursday suggesting a ban would not diminish black voters’ support for the president. The poll, conducted for the advocacy group, indicated that 62 percent of respondents reported being in favor of a menthol ban, compared to 25 percent who disapproved.
“This new data demonstrates what we already know to be true: Black voters want to see a ban on menthol,” Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, said in a statement.
In the new study, researchers noted that tobacco companies had raised concerns about illicit trafficking in menthol as an argument against the ban. But the study indicated that Canada did not experience an increase in seizures of illicit cigarettes after its nationwide ban. It is not yet clear whether a US ban would have a similar effect.
in a study In 2021, using a model to evaluate the effects of banning menthol, David Levy, a professor of oncology at Georgetown University, found that it could lead to an overall reduction in smoking of about 15 percent. By 2060, he projected the study, up to 11 million years of life could be gained rather than lost due to smoking-related deaths.
“These effects are delayed,” Dr. Levy said, “but they are still important.”
Ruth Igielnik contributed reporting.
