Biden admin. cancels Menthol cigarette ban over fear of losing black voters

[NYSforKennedy2024]

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/menthol-cigarette-ban-explained-0c41df7a?st=wuswkom9mzh4ki0&mod=googlenewsfeed

The Biden administration is reversing course on its plan to ban menthol cigarettes, after the White House weighed the potential public-health benefits of banning minty smokes against the political risk of angering Black voters in an election year.

The administration is expected to announce its decision as soon as Friday afternoon, according to people familiar with the matter.

[dead0man]

ahahahaha, what an ass

[Old Man Willow]

Shame, this was one of the few decent things he did. Though it should extend to all cigarettes.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

It never ceases to amaze me what is and isn't A Race Thing in this country.

[Beet]

I have to give it to him. He wants to win. All of a sudden hes doing net neutrality, overtime pay, non-competes, marijuana, student debt, etc. All good things that he needs to be milked for as much as possible, since after November, no matter the result, he will undoubtedly be back to his old self, while we all continue to flounder under higher inflation and interest rates. The problem is, for him, certain things, such as the unpopular with young people TikTok ban and his precious support of Netanyahu's slaughter in Gaza, are already done as of today, and these things are, or ought to be, poison pills for his re-election.

[Antonio the Sixth]

the absolute state of US politics

[Libertas Vel Mors]

Talk about doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. Menthol cigarettes shouldn’t be banned because people should be allowed to do stupid things with their lives, not because black people disproportionately smoke them.

Of course, I’m sure that in 30 years we’ll be told that this decision constituted systematic racism, and that you and I now owe a debt to the black community because Joe Biden cracked down on vapes but not menthol cigarettes.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

I’ve never understood the support for this ban.  There’s essentially no evidence that menthol cigarettes are more harmful to your health than regular cigarettes.  So the ban basically seems to be targeting the people who like methols as opposed to the inherent danger of the product.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Based. I smoke Camel Crush. Thank you Al Sharpton.

[nicholas.slaydon]

I’ve never understood the support for this ban.  There’s essentially no evidence that menthol cigarettes are more harmful to your health than regular cigarettes.  So the ban basically seems to be targeting the people who like methols as opposed to the inherent danger of the product.

Hence why all cigarettes should be banned.

[GP270watch]

Come on man, Joe wasn't going to violate like that.

[LostFellow]

Menthol cigs tend to be easier to smoke in larger numbers and attain habitual addiction towards, but studies diverge on to what degree this difference exists between menthol and regular cigarettes. The negative effect per cigarette is the same of course, but the argument for banning is similar to banning flavored vapes.

Whether this is justified or not, actions like this are exactly why Joe Biden is president and not one of the other 2020 candidates (and also why Biden get's a pass for saying things like "you ain't black" if you don't vote for him).

[Yoda]

I first saw this news on Twitter and for a minute I thought it was an Onion headline.

[The Arizonan]

I first saw this news on Twitter and for a minute I thought it was an Onion headline.

Next thing you know, Joe Biden will be dressed up as a rap artist and appear in a music video campaign ad with Kamala Harris and several rap artists about how we should turn out and vote.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

I recently quit smoking Misty Menthol cigarettes. Strangely I never developed a physical dependency on them or other cigarettes; I just decided it's time to stop pissing away money on something that only destroys your health and compromises physical performance. They shouldn't be banned, though. There's no sense in turning over another product to the black market.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

since after November, no matter the result, he will undoubtedly be back to his old self,

[Oregon Eagle Politics]

I’ve never understood the support for this ban.  There’s essentially no evidence that menthol cigarettes are more harmful to your health than regular cigarettes.  So the ban basically seems to be targeting the people who like methols as opposed to the inherent danger of the product.

Hence why all cigarettes should be banned.

Would be about as successful as banning alcohol.

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

I first saw this news on Twitter and for a minute I thought it was an Onion headline.

Next thing you know, Joe Biden will be dressed up as a rap artist and appear in a music video campaign ad with Kamala Harris and several rap artists about how we should turn out and vote.

Not a joke.

[Mopsus]

Good call.

[wnwnwn]

How did dems let this nearly happen?

[Vice President Christian Man]

I'd wish that this story could've been the one to end turning things that have nothing to do with race about it. But I'm not getting my hopes up.

[Pres Mike]

You either ban all tobacco or nothing

Its why vape bans don't work. People resent that some folks can use their prefered tobacco products, but they can't.

[nicholas.slaydon]

I’ve never understood the support for this ban.  There’s essentially no evidence that menthol cigarettes are more harmful to your health than regular cigarettes.  So the ban basically seems to be targeting the people who like methols as opposed to the inherent danger of the product.

Hence why all cigarettes should be banned.

Would be about as successful as banning alcohol.

Wrong. The main difference being that anyone can create alcohol with little difficulty with common household items (such as just capturing wild yeast from the air). Homemade cigarettes would not be nearly as easy to create and thus would be easier to regulate a ban.

[Pheurton Skeurto]

Listen, the planet is f--king dying. There's no sugarcoating it. Life is endless pain. Might as well smoke a lil ciggie every now and again. If that doesn't kill you, something else will.