More than one year ago on April 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. The agency has had a year to take comments and now it is time for the Biden Administration to finalize these rules to protect Indiana youth and address health inequities in Lawrence country.
Tobacco is still the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Indiana, killing 11,070 residents each year. More than 17.3% of adults smoke in Indiana and 5.2% of high school students use a tobacco product. On top of that, healthcare expenses due to smoking in Indiana costs our state almost 3 billion dollars each year.
Ending the sale of Menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars is a tremendous opportunity to save lives and reduce the toll of tobacco on the health of Indiana residents. In the first 13-17 months of removing menthol cigarettes from the marketplace, one study estimates 923,000 smokers would quit.
The Smoke-Free Lawrence County Coalition is joining the American Lung Association to urge the Biden Administration to finalize the proposed rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars by August to save lives and protect our youth. Join us by asking President Biden to finalize these rules at Ask President Biden to Remove Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars from the Market.
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