The FDA’s puzzling decision to approve sales of menthol e-cigarettes

To the Editor:

I am writing to express my profound disappointment and concern regarding the FDA’s decision to authorize the sale of the first non-tobacco flavored e-cigarette products. This decision to approve four menthol-flavored e-cigarettes is a stark contradiction to sound public health practices and undermines the FDA’s own efforts to remove menthol-flavored tobacco products from the market. Just two years ago, the FDA proposed a ban on menthol-flavored tobacco products, citing compelling evidence that menthol enhances nicotine’s addictive effects by interacting with it in the brain. How, then, can the very agency responsible for safeguarding public health approve the sale of one type of menthol-flavored tobacco product while attempting to ban others—especially when e-cigarette use, or vaping, is so popular among our youth? In fact, one in five high school-age youth in New York State use e-cigarettes/vape

It is well-documented that flavors, including menthol, attract and addict youth. The availability of four new menthol-flavored e-cigarette products poses a significant risk to our children, providing yet another pathway to nicotine addiction. Research consistently shows that youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to transition to cigarette smoking, perpetuating a cycle of addiction that is difficult to break.

Recently, we have observed a small but promising decline in youth e-cigarette use. This makes it even more baffling and troubling that the FDA would approve menthol-flavored e-cigarettes for sale, given the known popularity of e-cigarettes among youth and young adults, and the established fact that menthol makes tobacco use easier to start and harder to quit. Menthol products have been cited for their appeal to young smokers, as well as the significant health impacts for Black communities, where menthol-flavored tobacco products have been heavily marketed for decades. This decision has devastating implications for public health.

The FDA’s mission is to protect public health, yet this decision appears to prioritize the interests of the tobacco industry over the well-being of our youth. It is crucial to highlight the dangerous precedent this sets and the potential long-term impacts on public health. The health of future generations depends on informed decisions that prioritize the well-being of our communities over commercial interests.

PJ Tedeschi

Hauppauge

Editor’s note: PJ Tedeschi is the director of the Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island