Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser moved this week to ban the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes in the nation’s capital; claiming the products “have a particularly insidious effect” on the city’s “black residents.”
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“We know that Black residents are disproportionately affected by tobacco use, and flavored tobacco, including menthol, continues to have a particularly insidious effect on our community,” Bowser said. “Today, we take a hugely impactful step to reducing tobacco initiation and addiction in Washington, D.C.”
“They are only one piece of our work to build a healthier, more equitable DC,” added the Mayor.
The DC City Council approved the measure on June 29th. Critics claim the move will create a black market for menthol-flavored cigarettes from nearby Virginia and Maryland.
