{"id":2343018,"date":"2024-09-18T17:06:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T21:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tobacco-giant-banking-on-trump-curbing-plans-to-ban-menthol-cigarettes-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-18T17:07:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T21:07:35","slug":"tobacco-giant-banking-on-trump-curbing-plans-to-ban-menthol-cigarettes-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tobacco-giant-banking-on-trump-curbing-plans-to-ban-menthol-cigarettes-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Tobacco giant banking on Trump curbing plans to ban menthol cigarettes &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/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%2Ftobacco-giant-banking-on-trump-curbing-plans-to-ban-menthol-cigarettes-washington-examiner%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=2343018&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--><p>The article \u2064discusses the relationship between\u2063 former President Donald Trump and \u200bthe tobacco\u2064 industry,\u200b particularly focusing\u200d on RAI Services Company, a subsidiary of Reynolds American, which is the largest corporate donor to his Make America Great Again super \u200bPAC, contributing $8.5 million this election cycle.\u200b This financial \u2062support\u2064 comes as Big Tobacco seeks to prevent a ban on menthol cigarettes, which the Biden administration has postponed. Vice President Kamala\u200b Harris previously supported a menthol ban, but has not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/intruder-arrested-twice-in-1-day-for-attempting-to-break-into-rfk-jr-s-home\/\" title=\"Intruder nabbed twice in 24 hours for trying to break into RFK Jr.&#039;s house.\">made recent comments<\/a> on the issue. The article\u200c highlights\u2062 how Reynolds American is banking on \u200dTrump to influence his policies\u2062 in favor of the\u2064 tobacco industry, recalling past instances where Trump \u2064wavered on banning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-biden-admin-says-its-cracking-down-on-illegal-chinese-vapes-you-can-still-buy-them-next-door-to-the-fda\/\" title=\"Biden Admin targets illegal Chinese vapes, but they&#039;re still available nearby FDA.\">flavored e-cigarettes<\/a> due to their popularity among his supporters. The piece emphasizes the complex interplay between political funding and public health policy in the context\u200b of tobacco regulation.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Tobacco giant banking on Trump curbing plans to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-expected-to-propose-ban-on-menthol-cigarettes-aclu-says-it-will-disproportionately-affect-communities-of-color\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Expected To Propose Ban On Menthol Cigarettes, ACLU Says It Will Disproportionately Affect Communities Of Color\">ban menthol cigarettes<\/a><\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1557415\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Former president <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a>, who opposes drinking alcohol and smoking<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tobacco\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> cigarettes<\/a>, is receiving millions of dollars from Big Tobacco for his top <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/super-pac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>super PAC<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>RAI Services Company, a subsidiary of Reynolds American, the creator of Newport menthol cigarettes, is the largest corporate donor to the Make America Great Again super PAC. The cigarette company has so far donated $8.5 million to the super PAC this election cycle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This comes as Big Tobacco hopes to keep efforts to ban menthol cigarettes at bay. While the Biden administration has indefinitely tabled its plan to ban menthol cigarettes, Vice President Kamala Harris previously expressed support in a 2018 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/25137078-senators-letter-to-fda-in-2018-urging-menthol-ban\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>letter<\/a> that called for the ban on menthol cigarettes. She has not made a public statement regarding whether she would continue efforts to place a ban if elected president.<\/p>\n<p>But Reynolds American is not taking any chances. The second<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-cigarette-crackdown-a-boon-for-drug-dealers-experts-warn\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s Cigarette Crackdown a Boon for Drug Dealers, Experts Warn\">-largest tobacco company<\/a> is investing in Trump&rsquo;s campaign with the belief that it will be able to sway him to its side, similar to how Big Tobacco did in late 2019 when Trump was seeking an outright ban on flavored e-cigarettes, including mint and menthol. The former president was influenced by his wife, Melania Trump, and Health Secretary Alex Azar to ban JUULs, a brand of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fda-expected-to-seek-more-time-to-evaluate-juul-products\/\" title=\"FDA expected to seek more time to evaluate Juul products\">flavored e-cigarette<\/a>, following reports that they were linked to rising rates of teenage smoking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, reports showing that flavored e-cigarettes were popular with Trump&rsquo;s base moved him to back off his ban on flavored e-cigarettes.<\/p>\n<p>Stephanie Grisham, a former Trump aide, shared with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2024\/09\/18\/menthol-cigarette-ban-trump-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>Washington Post<\/em><\/a>  that the former president&rsquo;s initial announcement to ban flavored e-cigarettes was hastily made without the input of regulators.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We rarely did things through a process with agencies as you should,&rdquo; she said.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, Trump moved forward with a plan to exclude methanol from the flavored e-cigarette ban.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Following Trump&rsquo;s inauguration, Reynolds donated $1.5 million to America First Policies, a pro-Trump policy think tank organization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>With fears that Harris may implement a ban on menthol cigarettes, Reynolds American is putting its money on the line that Trump will not ban menthol cigarettes.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, the Biden administration decided to pause its ban after high-profile individuals like Rev. Al Sharpton said the ban would actually worsen relationships between law enforcement and blacks, who are the predominant consumers of Newport cigarettes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to Sharpton, this will increase negative interactions between law enforcement and blacks as they are seeking to enforce the bans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1557415\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1557415\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tobacco company relies on Trump to halt menthol cigarette ban plans. Former President Donald Trump, who is against alcohol consumption and smoking, has received substantial financial support from the tobacco industry for his leading super PAC. RAI Services Company, a division of Reynolds American\u2014maker of Newport menthol cigarettes\u2014has emerged as the top corporate contributor to the Make America Great Again super PAC, donating $8.5 million during this election cycle. This funding comes as Big Tobacco seeks to prevent any moves to prohibit menthol cigarettes. Although the Biden administration has postponed its initiative to ban these products indefinitely, Vice President Kamala Harris had previously shown support for such a ban in a 2018 letter but has not publicly stated her intentions regarding it if she were elected president. Reynolds American is proactively backing Trump&#8217;s campaign in hopes of influencing him similarly to how they did in late 2019 when he considered banning flavored e-cigarettes like mint and menthol due to rising teenage smoking rates linked with them. Influenced by his wife Melania and Health Secretary Alex Azar at that time, Trump initially aimed for a ban on JUULs but later reconsidered after realizing that flavored e-cigarettes were popular among his supporters. Stephanie Grisham, a former aide, noted that Trump&#8217;s initial announcement was made without proper regulatory consultation: &#8220;We rarely did things through a process with agencies as you should.&#8221; In 2020, he decided not to include methanol in the flavored e-cigarette prohibition plan. After taking office, Reynolds contributed $1.5 million to America First Policies\u2014a pro-Trump think tank\u2014as concerns grew over Harris potentially enforcing a menthol cigarette ban; thus they are betting on Trump\u2019s opposition against such measures. The Biden administration&#8217;s decision was also influenced by figures like Rev. Al Sharpton who argued that banning menthol cigarettes could strain relations between law enforcement and Black communities\u2014who predominantly consume Newport cigarettes\u2014leading to increased negative encounters during enforcement efforts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2542,"featured_media":2343019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Menthol-cigarettes-.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[41168,41169,8268,32640],"class_list":["post-2343018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-menthol-cigarettes","tag-smoking-policy","tag-tobacco","tag-trump-administration"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Menthol-cigarettes-.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2343018","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\/2542"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2343018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2343018\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2343019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2343018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2343018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2343018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}