We Deserve Better: Confronting the Menthol Threat to Black Health
December 9, 2024 by agutting@reviewjournal.com
Filed under Community
By Mekale Holmes
The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting and profiting from the Black community.
Through extensive marketing research, they identified young Black individuals as key influencers in consumer culture — leading them to infiltrate Black cultural events, Black publications, and to financially support Black politicians and community leaders. This targeted marketing of menthol products exploits the economic and political challenges often faced by Black Americans.
Menthol tobacco products are linked to more than 40,000 tobacco-related deaths among African Americans each year. Over 85% of Black adult smokers use menthol cigarettes, and menthol e-cigarettes (vapes) are also gaining popularity among Black teens. Young people who start with menthol are at higher risk for addiction and long-term smoking, as menthol heightens nicotine’s addictive effects, making it harder to quit.
Research shows that banning menthol in cigarettes could save up to 654,000 lives over 40 years — including 255,000 Black Americans. Some laws aimed at preventing companies from adding menthol to cigarettes target manufacturers, not consumers.
According to the 2023 Nevada Statewide Adult Tobacco Survey, African-American adults are more likely to use menthol tobacco products. Over 66% of Black adult participants reported using menthol or mint e-cigarette (vape) flavors, compared to only 19% of participants statewide.
Nearly 54% of Black participants reported smoking menthol cigarettes in the past month, compared to 26.4% of all participants. Despite these high usage rates, only 36% of Black participants were advised by a doctor to quit. Support for smoke-free spaces is high, with about 98% of Black participants in favor, and around 50% in support of banning flavors like menthol.
Free help is available to help Nevadans quit smoking and vaping any tobacco products, including menthol. Call the Nevada Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or text QUITNOW to 333888.
We deserve better! Why? Because we matter!
Mekale Holmes is a Health Educator with the Southern Nevada Health District Tobacco Control Program. For more information, visit becausewematterlv.org
