No Menthol Sunday: Towards Tobacco-Free Communities

Historically, the church has been central to shaping thought and beliefs in the Black community. The church has long been a place to feed the soul and increasingly to support physical health. It follows that African American faith leaders are in strong positions to educate their congregants about smoking, vaping, and the role of menthol and other flavors.

African American smokers disproportionately smoke menthol cigarettes, drawn to the minty flavor that makes it easier to start smoking and harder to stop. Not surprisingly, the tobacco industry targets African American communities with menthol cigarette ad campaigns. It is estimated that 85% of Black smokers prefer menthol brands, leading to high rates of smoking-related lung cancer and death, particularly among Black men. Later detection of smoking-related cancers and unequal access to treatment are among the reasons why tobacco addiction takes too many grandparents, brothers, and uncles from the community.

Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recommended banning menthol cigarettes, pushback from tobacco companies and other lobbying groups has put the ban in jeopardy. This political landscape amplifies the role of faith leaders in reaching their congregants to stop smoking for even one day, or even better to quit for good. Thanks are owed to so many community leaders who offer the hope of quitting tobacco to their congregations.