WASHINGTON (AP) — For the second time in recent months, President Joe Biden‘s administration has delayed a sweeping plan to ban menthol cigarettes, a decision that is certain to infuriate anti-smoking advocates but could avoid angering Black voters ahead of November elections.
In a statement Friday, Biden’s top health official gave no timeline for issuing the rule, saying only that the administration would take more time to consider feedback, including from civil rights groups.
“It’s clear that there are still more conversations to have, and that will take significantly more time,” said Health and Human Service Secretary Xavier Becerra, in a statement.
The White House has held dozens of meetings in recent months with groups opposing the ban, including civil rights organizers, law enforcement officials and small business owners.
The announcement is another setback for the health officials at the Food and Drug Administration, who drafted the ban and predicted it would prevent hundreds of thousands of smoking-related deaths over 40 years. The agency has worked toward banning menthol across multiple administrations for more than a decade without ever finalizing a rule.
DEAR CAROLINE: Our son and daughter
Event to promote love of reading to be held in Kunming
Don't call them 'sanitary' products! World
Atalanta comes from behind to beat Salernitana and improve Champions League chances
G7 comes for Putin, Ayatollah and Xi: Ukraine to receive frozen Russian assets to fund 'game
Man dies in fire under Atlantic City pier near homeless encampment
Knicks and 76ers got past injuries that could've ruined them. Now they meet in playoffs
Dylan Cease says last year with White Sox 'wasn't enjoyable in really any way'
Video of 2 bear cubs pulled from trees prompts North Carolina wildlife investigation but no charges
Moyes leaving West Ham at the end of the season. Lopetegui linked as the replacement
Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities