40 Organizations Demand Council Speaker Johnson Bring Menthol Ban to a Vote

NEW YORK, NY (01/17/2020) (readMedia)-- 40 organizations, including the New York State Conference of the NAACP and the African American Clergy and Elected Officials Organization (AACEO), issued a letter to City Council Speaker Corey Johnson demanding he commit to a timeline for a vote on Intro 1345 -- legislation that will restrict the sale of menthol in New York City -- before the end of the month. The legislation has the support of more than two-thirds of New York City Council Members, but still awaits action in the Council's health committee.

"After a full year of conversation and debate on widely supported legislation to restrict menthol sales in New York, we now ask that you set a date by the end of January 2020 to sit down with representatives of our coalition and other important stakeholders to finalize the bill. We also ask that you commit to a timeline for a vote on Intro. 1345 by the end of January 2020. The bill is supported by more than two-thirds of the City Council, two-thirds of the (Black, Latino and Asian) Caucus, all five Borough Presidents and many city leaders. It deserves a vote," the groups write to Speaker Johnson in the letter.

The full letter, which is attached, is signed by State Conference of the NAACP, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, NAACP Jamaica-Queens Branch, African American Clergy and Elected Officials Organization (AACEO), American Cancer Society, Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes (PAVE) American Heart Association, New York Communities for Change, American Lung Association, and many others.

Two months ago, the New York City Council passed legislation banning flavored e-cigarettes, but a separate bill to ban menthol cigarettes was not brought for a vote. Ten years ago, the city also banned the sale of all flavored cigarettes, but menthols were exempted.

Menthol, which is an organic compound made from peppermint, masks the harsh taste of tobacco flavor, making it easier to start smoking and harder to quit. Big Tobacco has aggressively marketed flavored tobacco products to underage users for decades to hook new generations of smokers-particularly in communities of color, where menthol cigarettes are sold to young people, creating disproportionately negative health outcomes for African Americans.

The letter goes on to note that every year 47,000 African Americans die from smoking-related causes. Nearly 45% of African-American menthol smokers say they would quit smoking altogether if menthols were banned.

In addition to the local and national organizations now supporting Intro. 1345, city leaders such as former Mayor David Dinkins, NAACP New York Chapter President Hazel Dukes, NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray and Rep. Gregory Meeks also back the menthol bill. The de Blasio Administration supports the legislation as well.

Members of the Flavors Hook Kids NYC coalition include: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, NY NAACP, Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes (PAVe), African American Clergy and Elected Official organization (AACEO), American Cancer Society Action Network (ACS CAN), New York Communities for Change, American Cancer Society Action Network, the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council NAATPN, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Neighbors in Action, Last Call Church, United Concerned Citizens, NYPIRG, Bishop Courtenay of Emmanuel Church of God in Brooklyn, Arthur Ashe Institute Public Health, among others.

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