On April 28, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released two proposed rules that would ban menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and prohibit all characterizing flavors such as strawberry and menthol in cigars. The proposed rules were in response to efforts to reduce youth initiation and help current smokers quit, and are part of the FDA’s efforts to reduce tobacco-related health disparities. FDA’s first proposed rule (Menthol Product Standard) would prohibit the use of menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and cigarette components and parts, including those that are sold separately to consumers. Specifically, under the proposed rule, no person may manufa... [Read more]