Feb. 3, 2023 -- A new survey from the CDC found that 57.3% of U.S. respondents support policies banning the sale of all tobacco products and 62.3% support banning the sale of menthol cigarettes.
Even among smokers, there was some support for the bans. About a third of smokers supported the menthol ban and more than a quarter backed a total tobacco ban, the survey found.
The FDA says menthol makes it easier to start smoking and also enhances the effects of nicotine, making it more addictive and harder to quit.
The survey sought the opinions of 6,455 U.S. adults in the spring of 2021, before the federal government proposed banning menthol cigarettes.
The menthol ban was supported by 59.5% of men and 65.0% of women, while the total ban was backed by 52.2% of men and 62.2% of women.
Backing a total ban were 54.4% of non-Hispanic white respondents, 60.5% of Hispanic respondents, 63.4% of non-Hispanic Black respondents, and 67.4% of non-Hispanic respondents from other racial and ethnic population groups.
The total ban was supported by 56.3% of adults with a high school diploma or less and 60.6% of adults with at least a college degree.
Support for the menthol ban was strong across the board, the CDC said.
“Our findings are generally consistent with previous research showing support for menthol cigarette sales prohibitions, including among population groups historically targeted by unjust marketing practices and with a high prevalence of menthol cigarette use,” the CDC said. “No significant racial and ethnic group differences were found regarding support of a policy to prohibit menthol cigarette sales, highlighting broad support among all respondents.”
As of February 2022, at least 145 communities in the U.S. have prohibited menthol cigarettes and two cities prohibit all tobacco product sales, the CDC said.
The American Lung Association says tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in America, killing 480,000 people each year.
