(Reuters) – The Trump administration has withdrawn a plan to ban menthol cigarettes in the U.S., in a setback to health regulators and activists.
The Food and Drug Administration had in April 2022 proposed to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, but its implementation was delayed several times by the Biden administration.
A Jan.21 filing by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, a White House agency, showed the proposal has been “withdrawn”.
A ban would have likely cost billions of dollars in annual revenue for cigarette companies such as Altria and British American Tobacco.
BATS declined to comment, while Altria did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Menthol cigarettes have drawn the ire of several health advocacy groups on grounds that they are highly addictive, and for their appeal to young smokers.
They have also faced scrutiny for their disproportionate impact on the health of Black communities, where they are marketed heavily.
(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
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