DETROIT – A group of activists in Detroit are calling for a ban on menthol cigarettes, saying they disproportionally impact the Black community.
The Detroit Association of Black Organizations (DABO) held a news conference Wednesday (April 3), announcing its stance against the promotion of tobacco and menthol products within the Black community.
“If Black Lives Matter, Black lungs do too,” DABO CEO Rev. Horace Sheffield said.
In 2009, cigarette flavors were banned, except for menthol.
Activists like Minou Jones, the founder of Making It County Community Development Corporation, said this is a social justice issue.
“My children’s life, my parent’s life, my friend’s life matter just as much as everybody else’s,” Jones said.
According to the FDA, nearly 85% of Black smokers use menthols, compared to 30% of white smokers.
“You cannot disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities with these deadly products,” Sheffield said.
Black men have the highest lung cancer death rate in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association.