[Red State] As RedState has reported in numerous articles (see "RELATED" at the bottom), the Biden administration has been wrestling mightily with whether or not to ban menthol cigarettes since 2021. As has been the case with most, if not all, of Joe Biden's decisions, a proposed ban on menthols has been less about the potential public health benefits of banning mint-flavored cigarettes and more about the potential fallout in both the Black and Hispanic communities.
According to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, roughly 81 percent of Black smokers smoked menthols in 2020, along with 51 percent of Hispanic smokers, compared to just 30 percent of white smokers.
In other words, it's all about the votes.
Hence, as the Journal reported, the administration was expected to announce on Friday that it is delaying a decision on whether to impose a ban, contending that it needs more time to consult with outside groups on the matter — with no set timeline to revisit the decision, as the November presidential election looms closer and closer.