This morning, NYC Councilmember Rita Joseph hosted a press conference at City Hall in conjunction with the No More Menthols NYC coalition to promote the importance of her groundbreaking proposal to end the sale of menthol cigarettes. Councilmember Joseph stood alongside civil rights, religious and community leaders from the NAACP, Arc of Justice, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and more, to send a resounding message to the NYC Council: though Big Tobacco remains committed to addicting New Yorkers to menthol cigarettes, advocates will continue to fight to save lives and lungs from the harms of menthols. Enough is enough.
Advocates came together to highlight that menthol cigarettes, which are much easier to smoke and more addictive than regular tobacco, remain available on the shelves of more than 5,000 licensed tobacco retailers in New York City. The product remains the number one way Big Tobacco hooks young people and keeps Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian and LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers addicted.
At the end of 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report on the deadly impact of tobacco products, which found that restricting the availability of menthol cigarettes can be effective in reducing smoking initiation and prevalence and addressing tobacco-related health disparities. Advocates at the press conference this morning argued that the data underscore the importance of Intro 1152 and give city leaders a clear, evidence-based pathway to limit the burden of menthol on their communities.
As prime sponsor of Intro 1152 Councilmember, Rita Joseph said, “Every day that we fail to act, we risk more young New Yorkers starting to smoke and becoming hooked on menthols. Every day that we wait, Big Tobacco profits while our communities suffer the consequences. I know that change is never easy. I know that this industry will continue to fight tooth and nail to protect its bottom line. But I also know the power of collective action, the power of advocates, organizers and everyday New Yorkers, who refuse to stand by while lives are cut short by preventable illnesses.”
Intro 1152 establishes that it is not illegal for a person to purchase, use or possess menthol cigarettes and defines what it means to be a licensed tobacco retailer. Doing so aims to ensure that enforcement of the new law is focused exclusively on the 5,000 licensed cigarette retailers in New York City and not individuals simply in possession of tobacco products.
Councilmember Joseph continued, “Together we can push this legislation across the line. We can protect future generations from the deadly grip of menthol cigarettes. This is about more than banning a product. It is about saving lives and creating a healthier, equitable future for all New Yorkers.”
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene estimates that ending the sale of menthol cigarettes could help 90,000 people quit smoking in the new two years. It would also make it so that around 3,000 youth, who would have started smoking, would not do so.
“Menthol continues to plague our communities. We continue to see exorbitant rates of lung cancer and other preventable diseases impact our Black New Yorkers. We know that Intro 1152 is a commonsense step to making sure that we can improve health outcomes for our communities,” said Christopher Alexander, Executive Director, NAACP, New York State Conference. “The NAACP and our leadership, President Dr. Hazel Dukes, strongly supports this effort. We are standing side-by-side with Councilmember Joseph and our public health advocates here with us today to make sure we can take this step and improve the lives of New Yorkers and make sure our communities are safe.”
Tobacco companies spend over $162 million per year in New York to market their deadly and addictive products. For decades, tobacco companies have targeted Black people, Hispanic/Latino communities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, neighborhoods with more Asian residents, limited-income neighborhoods and youth through price promotions and heavy marketing, leading to higher rates of menthol use and tobacco-related diseases.
Loida Perez is a local patient advocate and pastor who has witnessed first-hand the impact that menthol cigarettes have had on Hispanic/Latino communities throughout the city.
She delivered her remarks in Spanish, which translated, read, “Countless people in our communities have died from smoking-related illnesses, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. This includes my beloved grandmother, who passed away from throat cancer after years of smoking. As a pastor, I’ve also seen members of my congregation and their families suffer because of tobacco use.”
“In New York City, two out of three young smokers start with a menthol-flavored tobacco product,” said Vonetta Dudley, Director, NYC Smoke-Free, Public Health Solutions. “Parents, educators and the youth themselves are tired of seeing Big Tobacco in their communities. It’s time that we give a change in our communities, a change for our youth’s future.”
Stan Martin, Council Member, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, said, “Tobacco-related health disparities are a social injustice. Banning menthol-flavored will save Black lives, prevent youth initiation, help people who want to quit to quit, and address the enduring disparities caused by it. No more delays. Enough is enough.”
Rounding out the program, Dr. Phil Jordan, Vice President, Field and Organizing, The Arc of Justice, said, “Menthol cigarettes cause problems and pain and anguish for those who find themselves addicted. I am hoping that the City Council will dig deep down in their hearts and minds and do what is right. Make the decision that other parts of this country that have decided to do the right thing. New York is the greatest city in the world. Let’s lead by example.”
To learn more about the effort to the end sale of menthol cigarettes in New York City, visit https://nomorementhols.org/.
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The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.