Nearly 500,000 people in the United States lose their lives to smoking along with 41,000 thousand people who lose their lives to second hand smoke. It is no joke that smoking is a major problem in the U.S. and is only getting worse.
On average, smokers lose their lives ten years before nonsmokers do. With this ongoing problem in the U.S. the Biden Administration plans on banning menthol flavored tobacco which includes cigars and cigarettes.
According to the FDA an estimated 20 million people in America alone smoke menthol cigarettes which indicates that teenagers and even young children could be getting their hands on smokes. The Biden Administration hopes to put an end to the production of menthols for a healthier and brighter America. Cigarettes are heavily promoted and marketed toward Black people in America. Just about 85% of black smokers use menthol flavored cigarettes while only 30% of white smokers use menthol cigarettes.
Many communities of color are faced with health related issues caused by smoking, so with the help of banning these products people would be able to live longer healthier lives. Detrimental health effects caused by smoking will hopefully be a thing of the past.
Devan Singh said, “I have personally never seen the point in smoking but some of my uncles smoke cigarettes a lot. One of them has to stop a couple years back because he was diagnosed with coronary heart disease.”
Smoking cigarettes has definitely had an impact on the person smoking them along with people who are around them. There is a possibility of obtaining a disease(s) or even being introduced to new or different forms of drugs. Smoking cigarettes can be a gateway to trying and abusing different substances. This ban on menthol flavored cigarettes will help people better themselves and will impact millions of Americans.
Jefferson Daniels discussed “My father and mother are both pretty heavy smokers. They have been smoking menthols since before I was born and no matter how much I try to tell them to stop they won’t. I hope this ban will help them stop smoking. It’s a really bad habit and I don’t want to see them lose their lives to something so dumb.”
The actual purpose of a menthol cigarette is to decrease the harshness and vexatiousness caused by the nicotine, making smoking more enjoyable. Smoking is already a damaging habit, menthol only makes it easier for people to slowly harm their body.
Liam Singh claims that he has not heard any recent news of this law being passed. “I didn’t even know that this ban is a real thing. To be completely honest when you told me the Biden Administration is in the process of doing this I thought you were lying. I do think this would be good for smokers since it should help them stop.”
There are those who have heard of this menthol ban while others seem to still be in the dark. This ban will help smokers of all communities whether it be high or low income. Once this bill is passed it will be a new age for health and lead to longer lasting lives.