Recently, the FDA and several state-level legislatures have begun looking at banning all flavored tobacco/vape products, including Menthol. They claim that the flavors tobacco and vape products come in contribute significantly to teenagers and young adults beginning to smoke and/or vape. This is the same pseudo-science that was used at the end of the last millennium and earlier in this millennium to severely limit the flavors that tobacco can come in. 

There is a flaw in their thinking, though, since kids of the 80s and 90s were heavily warned of the dangers of smoking. So there has to be a reason why smoking is still prevalent, and that vaping is now on the rise in teenagers and young adults. 

The answer is in the mirror and in who advertises these products. They forget that many smokers smoke the same brand as their parents. Those whose parents didn’t smoke were the relative or peer they admired most whose brand they smoke. And, of course, smokers try different flavors from time to time. Much like any foodie likes a change in the flavor of the food they eat from time to time. 

Are they doing the same to alcoholic beverages that are fruity? The answer is no. For most drinkers, beer isn’t the best tasting stuff in the world, but add just the right fruity flavor, and it is much easier and enjoyable to drink. Yet tens of thousands of people are killed every year by drunk drivers, some of whom are underage. Meanwhile, smokers tend to agree with rules so that they are harming only themselves. Yet, they go after the smokers harder than the drinkers. Possibly because they tried and failed with Prohibition in the early 20th Century. 

Granted, beer is one of the oldest beverages on the planet and the only one to be made on all seven continents by the indigenous people on their own. Yet, even though smokers are only harming themselves, they have to have something to demonize and go after. The more they do so with smoking, the more they are likely to create a black market for it as they did with alcohol during Prohibition, making the problem even worse than it is currently.  Even though their intentions are good, it will ultimately lead to a rise in crime and cost to society overall and cost themselves revenue in tobacco taxes. 

Better use of the funding they would allocate towards banning menthol would be towards enforcing laws against underage sales as well as educating people of all ages on how they are influenced to try new things. This might scare or even upset Corporate America as it forces them to try new things as they adapt the way they advertise.

In the end, it is up to the legislatures to either do what they know to be right based on actual science or cave to corporate donors and special interests. Ultimately, they would be doing something that makes them feel and look good but has no real positive effect. And, if you’re like me and think menthol should stick around, call your representative and senators locally and federally. The choice is yours, for now. 

*Tips his hat, lighting a cigarette as he walks out the door*

Photo by Gerd Altmann via Pixabay