NYSDOH report shows disparities in menthol tobacco marketing [Video]

A recent report by the New York State Department of Health found that 88% of menthol users in New York identify as Black or African American. The report is called “Menthol is Not Just a Flavor: Aggressive Marketing to Racial and Ethnic Minorities and Lower Income Communities Fuels Persistent Disparities in Menthol Cigarette Use.”

It identified differences in how menthol cigarette were marketed to poorer and minority communities.

The report states that menthol cigarette use was highest among adults who smoke who identify as Black or African American (88%) and those who identify as Hispanic (70%). Additionally, the percentage of adults who use of menthol cigarettes was higher among those reporting an annual household income less than $26,000 (61%) compared to those with incomes of $26,000 or more (42%).

“I lost my high school sweetheart to lung cancer. And, a few weeks ago, buried my cousin to lung cancer,” said …