FDA Soon to Make Final Report on Menthol Cigarettes Available for Public Comment

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing to make its final report on menthol cigarettes available for public comment. The FDA will also release scientists’ feedback on the report, and the agency’s response to the feedback.

The FDA’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) recommended in March 2011 that removing menthol from cigarettes would benefit public health, according to Convenience Store News.

The FDA then completed its own independent review of the available science on the impact of menthol in cigarettes on public health, and submitted the report to external scientists in July. The FDA is revising its report based on their feedback, the agency said in a statement.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act requires TPSAC to submit a report and recommendation to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on the impact of the use of menthol in cigarettes on the public health, including use among children, African Americans, Hispanics, and other racial/ethnic minorities.