Last year, a version of the ordinance that exempted menthol cigarettes was opposed by Black council members Mark Ridley-Thomas, Marqueece Harris Dawson and Curren Price. They argued that studies have found Black Americans are the racial/ethnic group most likely to use menthol cigarettes and are 25 times more likely than White Americans to do so.
To make matters worse, what happens if our elected officials choose to ban menthol cigarettes in a city where investigative stops are still legal?
Reports of illnesses and deaths caused by vaping, many states and health officials have taken a stance on products and the dangers of their consumption. Los Angeles City Council faced the rising issue during a controversial public hearing regarding a city-wide ban of flavored tobacco, menthol cigarettes and hookah.
As states and communities ban the sale of flavored tobacco products linked to vaping, anti-smoking activists are piggybacking on the momentum to target menthol cigarettes. But some African Americans say menthol cigarette bans will lead to discrimination.
Opponents of the ban fear that it would give police another reason to profile African Americans.
The National Action Network (NAN),one of the nation’s leading civil rights organizations with chapters throughout the entire United States, is focused on promoting a civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice and equity for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality or gender.