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    In the lead-up to the South Carolina primary, a conservative group is eyeing the state as a valuable testing ground for messages opposing the US Food and Drug Administration’s proposed menthol cigarette ban, something they hope will chip away at President Joe Biden’s Black vote.

    Republicans are seeking to capitalize on what polls show is a dip in Biden’s support and enthusiasm among Democratic voters by potentially turning the proposed ban into a wedge issue in the 2024 election.

    Menthol cigarettes continue to be widely available and priced cheaper in Black communities, according to the nonprofit advocacy group, The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

    Community leaders have warned Biden about the unintended consequences of banning menthol cigarettes.” The ad shows headlines related to Eric Garner, who died after police held him in a chokehold.

    Some civil rights leaders with ties to the tobacco industry have raised concerns with the White House that a ban would criminalize menthol cigarettes and lead to an increase in deadly police interactions.

    “Menthol cigarettes make it both easier to start and harder to quit by reducing the harshness of the smoke and cooling the throat,” notes the association’s annual State of Tobacco Control report.


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