The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun to move forward with its menthol ban, with the final version of the proposed plan making it to the White House this week, reported Axios.
News of the proposed ban is no surprise to the c-store industry, however the timeline has been variable.
In April 2022, the FDA had formally proposed the ban, however the administration missed a self-imposed deadline to finalize the ban in August.
The plan has historically seen pushback from the tobacco industry, and it is expected that the ban will be challenged in court.
If the ban is implemented, the question is whether menthol users will quit or shift their focus to vape products or traditional cigarettes.
A study of Canada’s menthol ban found that menthol smokers quit at a higher rate than traditional cigarette smokers. However, it remains to be seen if the same effect would occur in the U.S.
Also in conversation are flavored cigars, which could face challenges in the future as the FDA tries to limit the appeal of tobacco products to kids and young adults.
