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
December 2, 2019
4:59
Recent reports of serious lung illness resulting from vaping have scared many, but there are many other health risks that are not as obvious. Nicotine inhaled through vaping can damage the developing brain. It binds to receptors throughout the brain, disrupting areas controlling memory, learning, and alertness and puts teens at risk for long-term learning and attention problems. Nicotine is also addictive, especially in young brains, and teens drawn to vaping’s appealing flavors often find themselves unable to quit. Listen to hear a young woman describe her vaping-related illness and learn from experts about the many health risks of teen vaping.
Read MoreJune 7, 2019
3:00
Researchers from the United Kingdom now have scientific evidence that using e-cigarettes is significantly more effective for quitting smoking than other methods. However, U.S. public health officials worry that promoting e-cigarettes could increase nicotine addiction. Listen to this story to hear about the research study findings and debate: Is reducing smoking worth increasing nicotine addiction?
Read MoreOctober 5, 2018
3:39
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) says there is an epidemic of e-cigarette use among kids, and they are trying to address it. To do this, they are cracking down on those who make and sell e-cigarettes. Listen to hear what the FDA is doing and how different groups feel about it, and then debate: Should e-cigarettes be banned?
Read MoreMay 30, 2018
3:32
A high-tech vaping tool called a JUUL is designed to help adult smokers quit smoking traditional cigarettes by allowing them to inhale nicotine, the main addictive ingredient in tobacco products, along with a variety of flavors. Unfortunately, the cool design and fun flavors of these devices have also attracted teens’ attention. Many have become hooked on JUULing, as it's called by teens. To protect children from JUULing’s harmful effects, this story explains how San Francisco wants to ban all flavored tobacco products. However, opponents to this argue that adults should have access to flavored vape products so they can quit smoking.
Read More