The Biden administration has delayed the long-anticipated menthol ban, reported the Washington Post.
The decision was made largely due to political concerns amidst reelection efforts from President Biden, officials said. The Post reported that the administration will likely announce that it will finalize a federal menthol ban in March of 2024.
The process, however, could be delayed even further due to pressure during an election year.
The ban has been in the works since August, with plans to finalize the legislation in January, although legal challenges have been expected to push the ban back several years.
Written by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the proposed ban has been under review by the White House since October. In addition to restrictions of the menthol flavor, the FDA is also seeking limits to nicotine levels in cigarettes, although we likely will not see formal legislation on that until March at the earliest.
“Officials have insisted that the bans would not target individual consumers but that enforcement would focus on manufacturers, distributors and retailers,” reported the Post.
In 2022, manufacturers sold 173.5 billion cigarettes, with 36% of cigarettes sold being of the menthol variety, according to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) annual Cigarette Report.
Retailers and manufacturers alike will need to keep a close eye on the proposed menthol ban going forward, as pressure from the FDA and health advocacy groups continues to mount.
