{"id":2155999,"date":"2024-01-22T15:33:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T20:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-bidens-menthol-cigarette-ban-could-line-terrorists-pockets\/"},"modified":"2024-01-22T15:40:24","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T20:40:24","slug":"how-bidens-menthol-cigarette-ban-could-line-terrorists-pockets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-bidens-menthol-cigarette-ban-could-line-terrorists-pockets\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden&#8217;s Menthol Cigarette Ban May Benefit Terrorists"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-bidens-menthol-cigarette-ban-could-line-terrorists-pockets%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2155999&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Proposal Sparks \u2062Concerns of a Booming Black Market for Hamas and Hezbollah, \u2063Warns \u2063Sen. Cotton<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>L: Menthol cigarettes (Drew Angerer\/Getty Images) R:\u200c Hamas \u200dmilitants (Chris McGrath\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<p>The Biden administration&#8217;s push to\u2064 ban menthol cigarettes is raising \u200calarm \u2064bells \u200das \u200cit \u2064is predicted\u2064 to create a highly profitable black-market\u2063 trade, ultimately benefiting terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are backed \u200dby Iran, according to\u200c a Republican \u2062senator.<\/p>\n<p>Since\u200b May 2022, the Biden administration has been advocating\u200b for a proposal that would eliminate menthol-flavored cigarettes from\u2062 stores across America.\u200b It\u2063 is worth noting that around\u2063 40 percent of adult smokers prefer\u200c menthol \u2064cigarettes, with a particular\u2063 preference \u200camong black Americans, as reported\u2063 by the American Lung Association.<\/p>\n<p>However, with the menthol market still thriving, the Food and Drug Administration&#8217;s (FDA)\u2063 efforts to enforce\u200d a complete ban are expected\u200d to give \u2062rise \u200dto a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/europe-already-worried-about-nato-arms-being-trafficked-out-of-ukraine\/\" title=\"Europe Already Worried About NATO Arms Being Trafficked Out of Ukraine\">massive black market<\/a>, involving Mexican\u200b cartels and \u2062various terrorist groups such as al Qaeda, Hamas, \u2063and \u2063Hezbollah. In light of\u2063 this, Senator Tom \u2063Cotton (R., Ark.) has written a letter to multiple federal agencies,\u200d seeking information\u2063 on their strategies to combat potential terrorism financing.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The FDA&#8217;s proposed rule to\u200b ban menthol\u2064 cigarettes would enable terrorist organizations like \u2063Hezbollah to generate millions of dollars from the illicit trade\u2063 of menthol cigarettes, using the\u200b profits to \u2063fund their terrorist activities. This poses a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/serious-concerns-gop-leaders-demand-answers-over-russians-illegally-crossing-americas-southern-border\/\" title=\"\u2018Serious Concerns\u2019: GOP Leaders Demand Answers Over Russians Illegally Crossing America\u2019s Southern Border\">significant national security threat<\/a> to the United States,&#8221; Cotton wrote in the letter, as\u2064 obtained by the\u2064 Washington Free \u2062Beacon.<\/p>\n<p>In\u200d 2009, Congress determined that &#8220;Hezbollah, Hamas, al Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations \u2062have profited from trafficking in illegal cigarettes or \u200bcounterfeit cigarette\u2064 tax stamps.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Cotton&#8217;s letter emphasizes that\u200d &#8220;terrorist organizations, working with cartels, profit from black market cigarettes and use\u200b those profits to finance their terrorist activities.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The\u2062 FDA acknowledged\u200b in its proposed rule that the &#8220;removal of menthol cigarettes from the marketplace \u200dcould result in some people seeking menthol cigarettes through the illicit\u200b trade market.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While the FDA downplayed the potential for cigarette trafficking as a result of the ban, the Obama administration \u200dconcluded in 2015\u200c that cigarette\u200d smuggling is a &#8220;low risk, high-reward\u200b criminal activity,&#8221; allowing traffickers to make millions with minimal\u2064 risk of detection or severe penalties.<\/p>\n<p>Cotton argues that\u200c this determination further supports\u2062 the \u200bnotion that a menthol ban would enrich cartels \u2063and their terrorist\u2062 partners, providing \u2063them\u200d with the necessary funds \u200bto carry \u200cout terror attacks in\u2063 the Middle East, including against Israel, which is currently engaged in a conflict with Hamas and\u2062 its \u200cIranian \u200csupporters.<\/p>\n<p>In his letter, Cotton seeks clarification on whether the \u2062FDA consulted with \u200bthe\u2064 Justice Department\u2062 and federal law enforcement agencies\u2063 prior to proposing the rule. This would \u2064shed light on the Biden administration&#8217;s preparedness to tackle the potential emergence\u2064 of a black-market trade \u2063in menthol cigarettes.<\/p>\n<p>The senator also questions whether the Justice Department conducted an assessment \u200bon the potential impact of a\u2062 menthol ban \u2063on\u200c the illicit\u2062 cigarette \u2064trade. Additionally, it remains \u2064unclear whether the department evaluated the potential consequences of the\u2063 proposed ban on the activities of international terrorist organizations, as stated\u200c in Cotton&#8217;s letter.<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers from both sides\u200d of the aisle in\u200c the\u200b House of Representatives have also expressed concerns about the possibility of terrorist groups capitalizing on\u2064 the menthol ban.<\/p>\n<p>Representatives Andrew Garbarino (R., N.Y.)\u200c and\u2062 Jared Moskowitz (D., Fla.) urged the \u200dFDA to reconsider the rule in November, highlighting that \u2064&#8221;Hezbollah is a \u2063leader in the illicit cigarette trade\u2014not \u2063halfway around\u2062 the world\u200c but right here in the Western Hemisphere.&#8221; They further emphasized the ties between Hezbollah, Mexican drug cartels, and the potential for the proposed FDA rule to\u2064 create a substantial revenue \u200cstream \u200bfor this Hamas-affiliated foreign terrorist organization.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What potential impact\u200b could a complete ban \u2063on menthol\u2062 cigarettes have on\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amazon-and-google-targeted-by-regulators-for-failing-to-address-fake-reviews\/\" title=\"Amazon And Google Targeted By Regulators For Failing To Address \u2018Fake Reviews\u2019\">law-abiding businesses<\/a> and legal manufacturers?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Et smuggling, Cotton argued that there is evidence to suggest that terrorist organizations are\u2062 involved in the illicit tobacco trade as well. He urged \u2062federal\u200b agencies to take\u200c this threat seriously and develop comprehensive\u2062 strategies to combat terrorism financing through the black-market trade of menthol cigarettes.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the Republican\u2064 senator highlighted the impact\u2062 of \u200dthe ban on law-abiding businesses and legal manufacturers. Cotton expressed concerns that a complete \u2062ban on menthol\u2062 cigarettes would lead to job losses and financial hardships for these entities.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed ban on menthol cigarettes has \u2063drawn\u200d strong\u2063 opposition from advocacy groups and \u2062civil liberties organizations. They argue that such a ban\u200c would disproportionately\u200c affect marginalized communities, particularly black Americans who have higher rates of menthol cigarette \u200duse. Critics\u2062 argue that the ban\u2062 would criminalize a product primarily \u200bconsumed by a specific demographic, thereby perpetuating\u2062 systemic inequalities\u2063 and potentially \u200cfueling racial tensions.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the ban also point out that \u200cprohibition has historically proved ineffective\u200d in curbing \u200bthe consumption of banned substances. Instead, \u2062it often \u200bcreates a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-arms-sent-to-ukraine-make-their-way-to-boko-haram-islamists\/\" title=\"U.S. Arms Sent to Ukraine Make Their Way to Boko Haram Islamists\">lucrative black market<\/a>\u2064 and increases criminal activity. They argue that a better approach would be to prioritize education, prevention,\u200c and smoking cessation \u200bprograms that \u200dspecifically target\u2064 communities disproportionately affected by smoking-related illnesses.<\/p>\n<p>The concerns\u200c raised by Senator \u2062Cotton underscore the \u2064potential unintended consequences of the menthol cigarette\u2062 ban. While the goal of reducing smoking \u200brates and improving\u200c public\u2062 health is commendable, it\u200c is crucial to carefully consider the wider\u200d ramifications of such a \u2063policy. Ensuring the effectiveness of strategies to combat terrorism financing and addressing the concerns of law-abiding businesses and affected communities should be \u200bintegral parts of any regulatory\u2062 decisions made by the FDA and other \u200drelevant agencies.<\/p>\n<p>In\u200b conclusion,\u2064 the proposal to ban menthol cigarettes, while well-intentioned,\u200c raises valid concerns \u2064about the creation \u200cof a thriving black-market trade that can benefit terrorist organizations. Senator Cotton&#8217;s letter emphasizes the need for federal agencies\u2063 to address this potential national security\u2062 threat\u200b and develop \u200ccomprehensive strategies to combat terrorism\u2062 financing. Balancing \u200bpublic health objectives with the unintended consequences of\u2062 prohibition is crucial to ensure\u2062 that regulatory decisions effectively address the underlying issues without exacerbating\u200b other challenges.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senator Cotton warns that the Biden administration&#8217;s proposal to ban menthol cigarettes could lead to a thriving black market. This would generate significant profits for terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which are backed by Iran. The consequences could be financially beneficial for these groups, posing a serious threat<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":2156000,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2155999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2155999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2155999"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2155999\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2156000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2155999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2155999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2155999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}