Experts gather to discuss critical public health issues: Menthol and flavored tobacco

Truth Initiative joined experts, practitioners and policymakers at the 2016 Public Health Law Conference to support the urgent need to solve one of today’s most critical public health issues: menthol and other flavored tobacco.

“The science shows that menthol use is slowing the decline of cigarette smoking,” said Stacey Gagosian, Truth Initiative Public Policy Director. “Action on flavors, especially menthol, is a bold policy move that can have significant impact on public health.”

Gagosian discussed high rates of menthol use, particularly among youth and young adult smokers and African-American smokers, the role menthol cigarettes play in tobacco use over time and the challenges menthol smokers face when they try to quit.

Truth Initiative has been at the forefront of the push to get flavored tobacco products, including menthol, off the market. Last week, CEO and President Robin Koval called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban menthol cigarettes at a national press conference.

“Leaving menthol cigarettes on the market ignores a significant driver of tobacco use,” Gagosian said. “Menthol cigarettes are the life raft for the sinking ship that is cigarettes—and this is one ship we want to sink.”