Digging Into the Debate About Banning Menthol Cigarettes

On this episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast, we dig into the ongoing debate about banning menthol cigarettes in the United States.

We’ve known for decades that menthol cigarettes are more addictive and ultimately more harmful than tobacco-flavored cigarettes. Yet they’re still around, attracting young smokers, increasing health disparities, and causing preventable deaths. That is why the FDA has proposed policy to prohibit their sale. Research clearly suggests that a federal ban could save up to 650,000 lives over the course of 40 years, and that one third of them would be Black Americans. Despite those findings, however, the policy is stalled under the influence of a presidential election year and lobbying by Big Tobacco.

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health, delves into the historical context and the costs of delayed policy intervention with two guests: Keith Wailoo, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton and author of the book "Pushing Cool: Big Tobacco, Racial Marketing, and the Untold Story of the Menthol Cigarette"; and Carol McGruder, founding member and co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC).
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Learn more about the AATCLC’s advocacy for the menthol cigarette ban at www.SavingBlackLives.org.

Visit www.keithwailoo.com to learn more about Keith Wailoo’s research, his latest book ("Pushing Cool: Big Tobacco, Racial Marketing, and the Untold Story of the Menthol Cigarette"), and other publications.

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.