The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a plan to ban menthol cigarettes and cigars. Menthol is a flavor additive that masks the harshness of tobacco smoke and makes nicotine products more addictive. Tobacco companies have pushed menthol-flavored products aggressively in minority and low-income communities, and Black smokers are much more likely to use them than whites. Some say the ban will save Black lives and address health disparities. Others worry it will force smokers to seek menthol products illegally, resulting in confrontations with law enforcement. Listen to learn more about the agency’s decision and then debate: Should the FDA ban menthol cigarettes?
Story Length: 3:54
Socrative users can import these questions using the following code: SOC-1234