Sign the Petition

Dear Michigan Health Officials:

Banning the sale of menthol tobacco products and all flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, would help prevent a new generation of tobacco users. This would save millions of lives, reduce health care costs, and ensure equitable approach to better health in the United States. Many states and localities have already banned flavored tobacco products, including menthol, to protect kids and reduce health related disparities in certain communities.

Michigan needs to ban menthol and all flavored tobacco products because:

• Commercial tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in Michigan- contributing greatly to heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

• The tobacco industry targets youth and young adults with flavored products and flavors play a key role in their continued use of tobacco products.

• Two thirds of youth reported using these products “because they come in flavors (they) like.”

• Adults use of flavored tobacco products is associated with increased dependence on tobacco, and use of flavored e-cigarettes, cigars, and menthol cigarettes is associated with daily tobacco use.

• Flavors improve the taste and mask the harshness of tobacco products, mainly menthol flavor. Menthol is a chemical added to cigarettes and other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, that creates a cooling sensation and masks the harshness of smoking. This makes menthol more appealing to youth and new smokers and makes tobacco products more addictive and difficult to quit.

• Menthol cigarette use is widespread in certain populations- African Americans, Hispanics, youth, and LGBT people. These groups are unequally impacted by the harms of menthol cigarettes.

• Studies estimate banning menthol cigarettes in the U.S. would lead 923,000 smokers to quit- including 230,000 African Americans, and project a ban would avert 633,000 deaths, including 237,000 deaths among African Americans.