3 min listen
Why menthol cigarettes have a chokehold on Black smokers
FromCode Switch
ratings:
Length:
35 minutes
Released:
Feb 21, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
In the U.S., flavored cigarettes have been banned since 2009, with one glaring exception: menthols. That exception was supposed to go away in 2023, but the Biden administration quietly delayed the ban on menthols. Why? Well, an estimated 85 percent of Black smokers smoke menthols — and some (potentially suspect) polls have indicated that a ban on menthols would chill Biden's support among Black people. Of course, it's more complicated than that. The story of menthol cigarettes is tied up in policing, advertising, influencer-culture, and the weaponization of race and gender studies. Oh, and a real-life Black superhero named Mandrake the Magician.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Released:
Feb 21, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
The Code Switch Podcast Is Coming! by Code Switch