Biden Delays Ban of Menthol Cigarettes, Accused of Pandering the Black Vote

Well, folks. Looks like Biden is again at the heart of another controversy.

This time he’s been accused of pandering to the black vote.

The source of this allegation lies in the fact that he wants to delay a ban on menthol cigarettes.

If you look at the data, it’s not a surprising move for the Biden Adminstration at all.

According to PBS:

“81 percent of black smokers use menthols“

Since Biden knows he’s losing some black votes, this can be seen as a way to get their support.

Then again, there’s plenty of others that smoke it too.

The Biden administration considers delaying menthol cigarette ban fearing loss of black voter support, highlighting political motivations.

Assuming only black people smoke menthol cigarettes is racist, don’t you think? https://t.co/64ydfz1xMM

— Arch Kennedy (@ArchKennedy) April 6, 2024

It’s a funny line to walk.

The masses have been trained to view any mention of race as being racist so it puts the Democrats in a curious position.

And it’s the Democrats that created those race rules so it’s more a case of hypocrisy because they’re breaking unwritten rules, it would appear.

Biden delays menthol ban amid 2024 concerns over black support https://t.co/Vsraqfa9db https://t.co/Vsraqfa9db

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 5, 2024

Washington Examiner reports:

A two-year-old proposal to ban menthol cigarettes may be delayed until after the 2024 election as President Joe Biden weighs a move that could risk eroding his support within the black community.

The Food and Drug Administration first proposed banning menthols and flavored cigars in April 2022 but has since missed two deadlines for finalizing the rule, the second of which expired at the end of March.

“The FDA remains committed to issuing the tobacco product standards for menthol in cigarettes and characterizing flavors in cigars as expeditiously as possible,” the agency said in a statement, noting that the process is in its final stage. “As we’ve made clear, these product standards remain at the top of our priorities.”

But some observers say other priorities are behind the delay, namely the lack of support for the idea as the election sharpens into view.

ADVERTISEMENT

Biden’s menthol ban has received praise from public health advocates who say it can save hundreds of thousands of lives. The tobacco industry is also accused of disproportionately targeting the black community with its marketing of menthol cigarettes.

But the issue has divided black community leaders and drawn opposition from law enforcement groups.

The Rev. Al Sharpton has come out against the ban, saying it will give police more reason to target black people, though the ban’s advocates point out that he has accepted donations from industry groups.

Gwen Carr, an activist and the mother of Eric Garner, says the ban is inconsistent and racially inequitable. About 81% of black adult smokers used menthol cigarettes in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared to 34% of white adult smokers.

“Menthol has not killed anyone; it’s nicotine,” she said last year. “If you’re going to ban smoking, don’t make it a racist thing. Ban it all or ban none.”

Garner was killed in Staten Island in 2014 after New York City police officers attempted to stop him from selling single cigarettes, or “loosies,” on the black market and an officer put Garner in a chokehold. Police groups say the ban will create underground demand that they will be tasked with enforcing.

With Biden’s reelection looming in November and his support among black voters in danger, Democratic strategist TJ Rooney argues the president is right to put off the ban until next year.

“People of all race, creeds, and colors know the dangers of smoking,” he said. “My hope is that the big thinkers are equally concerned with explaining the broader picture of what’s at stake in this election. This is a great issue for 2025.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Democrat politicans aren’t dumb.

They actually know the game far better than most of us Republican voters.

That’s why they’ve been able to get so far for so long, manipulating the masses and cheating behind the scenes.

But no matter what tactic they use, fair or dirty, it will be of no matter. Their end is imminent.

Biden trying to win the Presidential vote is like VHS trying to make a comeback and beating Blu-Ray.

It’s not happening.

People are having trouble affording everyday essential items, let alone cigarettes.

So ban or not, what’s the point if you it doesn’t fit on the budget?

Also, sales have been declining anyhow for this item, according to Big Tobacco themselves, Philip-Morris:

Cigarette shipment volume has fallen from 915 billion units in 2011 to 613 billion units in 2023, with an annual decline every year for the past 10 years.