NEW YORK (AP) — A top U.S. health official is pledging to try to ban menthol from regular cigarettes, outlaw flavors in all cigars and tighten rules regarding the sale of most flavored versions of e-cigarettes.
Scott Gottlieb of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration disclosed the plans on Thursday.
The move represents a major step to further push down U.S. smoking rates, which have been falling for decades.
The restrictions are mainly aimed at reducing smoking in kids: About half of teens who smoke cigarettes choose menthols and flavored e-cigarettes have been blamed for a recent increase in teen vaping rates.
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