No Menthol Sunday is an annual call to action, led by The Center for Black Health & Equity, for the Black community to reject tobacco use and highlight the detrimental impact commercial menthol tobacco products have on Black communities. This year, the organizing event fell on Sunday, May 17, and implored the community to confront a hard truth: for decades, the tobacco industry has deliberately targeted Black Americans, and the consequences have been devastating.
For more than 50 years, Big Tobacco has saturated Black neighborhoods with marketing for menthol cigarettes, sponsoring community events, placing ads in magazines, and filling retail spaces with promotions designed to reach Black consumers. These products are more visible, more heavily discounted, and easier to access in our communities, making them especially appealing to Black youth.
The impact has spanned generations. In the 1950s, fewer than 10% of Black smokers used menthol cigarettes. Today, that number has climbed to more than 85%. The uptick reflects a long-term, intentional strategy by tobacco companies that has shaped behavior for decades. An estimated $587.5 million is spent each year on tobacco industry marketing in Florida, and this issue is present in our neighborhoods in Tallahassee, we are at the heart of its impact…