The Trump administration has withdrawn a proposed rule that would ban menthol in cigarettes and flavored cigars, as per the regulatory docket. This decision comes after the US Food and Drug Administration, under the Biden administration, had identified a menthol ban as a 'top priority.' The FDA had submitted the final version of the rule to the White House for approval in October 2023, with expectations of a ban that year. However, the Biden White House did not give the ban the green light following significant lobbying efforts from various stakeholder groups.
In April of the previous year, a coalition of civil rights groups and medical organizations filed a lawsuit against the FDA for missing its self-imposed deadline to ban menthol. The status of the lawsuit remains uncertain in light of the rule withdrawal.
