No Menthol Sunday Highlights the Ongoing Harm of Menthol Cigarettes

Every year, thousands of New Yorkers start smoking with a menthol cigarette, and many never quit. Since 2014, communities have come together on the third Sunday in May to recognize No Menthol Sunday, led by the Center for Black Health & Equity. The campaign highlights the harmful impact of commercial menthol tobacco products and exposes how aggressively they have been marketed to Black communities.

Menthol cigarettes are a significant driver of tobacco-related health disparities. About half of adult New Yorkers who smoke report that they usually choose menthol cigarettes. This burden is not shared equally. Nearly nine in ten Black or African American adults who smoke use menthol products, compared with seven in 10 Hispanic adults and just over one-third of white adults who smoke.

This disparity is no accident. For decades, the tobacco industry deliberately targeted Black communities with menthol cigarette marketing. The industry developed ads designed to specifically appeal to Black and Brown communities and sponsored community events and organizations to promote their deadly products. Today. in many major cities, there are up to 10 times more tobacco advertisements in Black neighborhoods than in other communities, evidence that this targeting continues.

In 2009, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was passed, banning all characterizing flavors in cigarettes except for menthol. Despite this, menthol cigarettes remain widely available, often misperceived as less harmful than non-menthol cigarettes. The cooling sensation of menthol can make cigarettes easier to start smoking and harder to quit. In fact, studies indicate that adult menthol smokers are less likely to successfully quit.

Tobacco use is a leading contributor to cancer, heart disease, and strokes among Black individuals. Addressing menthol tobacco use is not just a public health priority, it’s a matter of health equity and racial justice.

To learn more about No Menthol Sunday and why it matters, visit nomentholsunday.org.