Menthol cigarettes are killing Black Americans. Advocates are suing the government to change that

Aggressive tobacco marketing of menthol cigarettes to Black communities led to high addiction rates and premature deaths. Despite FDA attempts to ban menthol and potential life-saving benefits, tobacco lobbies delayed the process for years. The ban could prevent hundreds of thousands of smoking-related deaths. Advocates stress the urgency to implement the ban as nearly all smokers start in adolescence, with menthol cigarettes being more addictive. The exemption of menthol flavor from a 2009 law has contributed to increased menthol smoking, particularly among young adults and minorities. Delaying the ban continues to have deadly consequences.