Biden administration postpones ban on menthol
WASHINGTON (AP) — For the second time in recent months, President Joe Biden‘s administration has delayed a sweeping plan to ban menthol cigarettes, a decision that is certain to infuriate anti-smoking advocates but could avoid angering Black voters ahead of November elections.
In a statement Friday, Biden’s top health official gave no timeline for issuing the rule, saying only that the administration would take more time to consider feedback, including from civil rights groups.
“It’s clear that there are still more conversations to have, and that will take significantly more time,” said Health and Human Service Secretary Xavier Becerra, in a statement.
The White House has held dozens of meetings in recent months with groups opposing the ban, including civil rights organizers, law enforcement officials and small business owners.
The announcement is another setback for the health officials at the Food and Drug Administration, who drafted the ban and predicted it would prevent hundreds of thousands of smoking-related deaths over 40 years. The agency has worked toward banning menthol across multiple administrations for more than a decade without ever finalizing a rule.
Related articles
Freya Allan goes braless in a long
Freya Allan went braless in a long-sleeve grey gown as she stepped out of the Ritz Carlton hotel in2024-05-09- This photo taken on April 3, 2024 shows fallen tiles of a damaged building in Taipei, southeast Chin2024-05-09
Project renovating old residences revitalizes ancient city
Tourists buy special local products at a market in Kuqa City in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur2024-05-09NetEase Inc renews game partnership with Blizzard
This photo shows CEO and Director of NetEase William Ding (L), President of Blizzard Entertainment J2024-05-09Croatia ruling conservatives will form government with a far
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia ’s ruling conservatives on Wednesday agreed to form a coalition with2024-05-09Taiwan body donates cultural relics to national heritage administration
The United Association of Humanistic Buddhism in Taiwan recently donated 30 precious cultural relics2024-05-09
atest comment