Yvette Clarke: “While it is indeed a health imperative to reduce and eliminate the use of tobacco products in our society, I would like…”

“While it is indeed a health imperative to reduce and eliminate the use of tobacco products in our society, I would like to recognize the inequity, potential harm, and unintended consequences of a ban on menthol combustible products within the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act. This bill's purpose is to curb youth tobacco usage by banning flavored tobacco products, more specifically ending the scourge of youth vaping in our Nation and the flavored products used to attract young people to its use. However, this legislation has dire, unintended consequences for African American users, the overwhelming majority of which are over the age of 21. It does not treat all flavored tobacco products equally, exempting premium cigars preferred by White smokers, yet banning menthol cigarettes. Menthol is the preferred flavor of African American tobacco users, used by 90 percent of Black tobacco users. While I would love to assume the best intentions of all parties of this legislation and hope for the best in regard to law enforcement, lived experiences demand caution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.”