Biden administration backs off menthol ban to court black votersBy
Gabrielle M. Etzel
and
Christian Datoc
April 26, 2024 3:57 pm
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The Biden administration said on Friday that its plan to ban menthol cigarettes would be delayed, a decision that follows pushback from black voters, police groups, and drug policy experts ahead of the 2024 election.
“This rule has garnered historic attention, and the public comment period has yielded an immense amount of feedback, including from various elements of the civil rights and criminal justice movement,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement on Friday.
Becerra said a final decision on the ban “will take significantly more time” following further conversations with stakeholders in the debate.
The update from HHS followed reports the administration is expected to announce a further delay in its decision on whether to impose a ban.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/2981457/biden-administration-backs-off-menthol-ban-court-black-voters/