Flavored Tobacco Policies
The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting kids and other communities with flavored products, including menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, and most recently, flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Flavors make it easier for new users—particularly youth—to initiate tobacco use. Eight out of ten U.S. youth who have ever tried tobacco started with a flavored product. Ending the sale of flavored tobacco products will protect kids, save lives, and advance health equity.
The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting kids and other communities with flavored products, including menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, and most recently, flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Flavors make it easier for new users—particularly youth—to initiate tobacco use. Eight out of ten U.S. youth who have ever tried tobacco started with a flavored product. Ending the sale of flavored tobacco products will protect kids, save lives, and advance health equity.
In November 2019, Massachusetts became the first state to pass a law ending the sale of flavored tobacco products, followed by California in 2022. New York and New Jersey have ended the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, while Rhode Island and Utah restrict the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, except menthol-flavored e-cigarettes. There are also over 420 local flavor restrictions in the U.S. These laws are working to reduce youth access and use of flavored tobacco products.
8 out of 10
90%
Flavored E-Cigarettes Hook Kids
Since 2014, e-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youth, in large part due to the widespread availability of kid-friendly flavors like cotton candy, bubblegum, mango and mint. While the U.S. has made significant progress in reducing youth use, over 1.4 million youth reported current e-cigarette use in 2025, with nearly 90% reporting that they use flavored products. Kids aren’t just experimenting with e-cigarettes, but are using these products frequently, an indicator of addiction.
Menthol Cigarettes Target Youth and Black Americans
Menthol cools and numbs the throat and reduces the harshness of tobacco smoke, making menthol cigarettes more appealing to kids. Menthol cigarettes are also more addictive and harder to quit. For decades, the tobacco industry has intentionally targeted youth, Black Americans and other groups with marketing for menthol cigarettes, and the impact has been devastating, especially on the health of Black Americans. Smoking claims the lives of 50,000 Black Americans each year. Ending the sale of flavored tobacco products will stop the tobacco industry’s predatory marketing and save lives. Ending the sale of menthol cigarettes isn’t just a health issue, it’s a social justice issue.
The tobacco industry has designed, engineered, and marketed menthol cigarettes and other tobacco products that deliver multisensory flavor experiences which increase the likelihood of tobacco initiation, addiction, and sustained use. Policies that restrict the availability of menthol cigarettes can reduce smoking initiation and prevalence among adolescents, young adults, Black people, and other population groups that have disproportionately higher use of menthol cigarettes.
Last updated July 28, 2026