A new poll recently released shows 62 percent of Black voters are in favor of the Food Drug Administration (FDA) ruling prohibiting the sale of menthol cigarettes. The Mellman Group, a leading political research firm, oversaw the poll for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. These results mean the disapproval of the tobacco industry myth of this matter being a political liability in the 2024 presidential election.
“This new data proves what we already know to be true – Black voters want to see a menthol ban,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP.
“Now, it’s time for the Biden Administration to put people over profits and swiftly enact a rule that will save countless Black lives. We’re done waiting. The NAACP will do everything possible to hold this Administration accountable for its promises to our community. Enough is enough. Our lives are at stake,” said Johnson.
The banning of selling menthol cigarettes has been a battle going on for over a decade. FDA ruling to prohibit the selling was supposed to go into effect in August 2023, but it was delayed until December 2023. Organizations like the NAACP, The Congressional Black Caucus, and more have expressed disappointment with the White House administration’s delay. Everyone has concerns with that last delay because it came two days after the tobacco industry and its lobbyists met with officials from the white house. With the election eight months away, tobacco companies were sharing information about the menthol rule that would have an electoral impact.
“These poll results demonstrate that voters, especially Black voters, strongly support eliminating menthol cigarettes, and they debunk the tobacco industry myth that moving forward will be a political liability,” said Yolanda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
“The Biden Administration must issue a final rule without further delay. There is no other single action the Administration can take that would do more to advance health equity and help achieve the goals of the President’s Cancer Moonshot,” said Richardson.
According to the report from Mellman, Tobacco conglomerate Altria Group Incorporated revealed the red flags the menthol rule’s effect would have on “Biden core voters,” based on poll data. Altria Group Inc. is the parent company of Black and Mild’s, Marlboro cigarettes, and other brands. Biden core voters considered by Altria Group are non-White voters and non-conservative White voters under 45. The Mellman poll uncovered this notion as false and conducted a separate survey to back it up.
Mellman’s poll first asked participants an initial presidential horse race question between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The results show President Biden had a two-point lead over Trump, 44 percent to 42 percent. The organization introduced the proposed FDA menthol rule to participants. Mellman asked the presidential horse race question again, prefacing the vote question with, “If the Biden Administration ended the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes in the United States…” Assuming the Administration ended menthol cigarette sales produced no change in the margin, with Biden maintaining a 2-point lead.
Tobacco companies are doing all that they can to interfere with this ruling. Menthol cigarettes have been scientifically proven to be more addictive, more accessible for kids to start smoking, and more challenging for smokers to quit. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids shares how the tobacco industry has marketed these products to Black communities. The organization has research that reveals prohibiting menthol cigarettes will save up to 654,000 lives within 40 years, including the lives of 255,000 Black Americans.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will continue to monitor The Biden Administration for updates regarding the ruling.
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Clayton Gutzmore
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