Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Friday the Biden administration’s proposed ban on menthol cigarettes “will take significantly more time,” once again delaying the proposal that has been years in the making.
Friday’s delay is the latest setback for the ban, which was initially proposed in May 2022.
Becerra said in a brief statement Friday the public comment period for the proposal “has yielded an immense amount of feedback,” including from civil rights and criminal justice advocates, going on to say: “It’s clear that there are still more conversations to have, and that will take significantly more time.”
The timetable for enacting a ban is unclear, and HHS did not have a comment beyond Becerra’s statement.
Becerra’s statement followed a report from the Wall Street Journal that indicated the administration was planning on dropping the ban completely.
Erika Sward, assistant vice president of nationwide advocacy at the American Lung Association, told Forbes the organization is “deeply disappointed that President Biden is delaying these rules.”
Public health groups expressed disappointment with the decision. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network said in a statement Friday the “inaction” from the administration “only benefits Big Tobacco, who continues to target Black communities and younger generations with its aggressive marketing tactics.” American Cancer Society CEO Dr. Karen Knudsen said “there is no scientific justification” to continue allowing the sale of menthol cigarettes.
Earlier this month, three public health groups—the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, Action on Smoking and Health and the National Medical Association—filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration alleging that it failed to follow through on its own menthol cigarette ban.
FDA Sued By Public Health Groups Over Delayed Menthol Cigarette Ban (Forbes)