Health
Biden Administration Delays Plan to Ban Menthol Cigarettes
- Health secretary says more talks are needed on proposed rule
- Decision comes amid political concerns ahead of 2024 election
The decision comes just weeks after public health groups sued the FDA for a second time.
Photographer: Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
President Joe Biden’s administration is delaying action on a proposed rule to ban menthol cigarettes, which some activists have said would unfairly target Black smokers.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Friday his agency continues to weigh “an immense amount of feedback,” including from civil rights activists and criminal justice reform advocates. “It’s clear that there are still more conversations to have and that will take significantly more time,” Becerra said in a statement.