Community Town Hall in Atlanta to Address the Proposed FDA Ban on Menthol Products and the Impact on Black and Brown Communities

WHAT: A two-hour community engagement forum with directly impacted and social justice organizations in Georgia to discuss the proposed FDA ban on menthol products and the impact on Black and Brown communities.

WHO: Hosted by JustLeadershipUSA in partnership with Women on the Rise, Southern Center for Human Rights, Legal Action Center, Gideon’s Promise, All of Us or None-Georgia, A Woman with a Plan, ReEnforce, and ACLU-Georgia.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 27, 6-8pm ET.

WHERE: Ebenezer Baptist Church, 101 Jackson St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30312.

WHY: The FDA is planning to issue a menthol ban that will result in felony convictions and discriminatory criminal collateral consequences on Black and Brown communities. 90% of menthol products are consumed by Black and Brown people.

While the FDA is stating they will not go after individuals, only manufacturers, we know the federal government cannot control the enforcement practices in individual states. As the first state to issue this kind of ban, Massachusetts’ tobacco task force is now struggling with a growing, dangerous illicit tobacco market, and, as a result, they have already recommended criminal enforcement against individual consumers as a way to go after manufacturers. This is the same practice used in the crack/cocaine era to go after the kingpins, but, as recent history shows, only the low-level user was prosecuted. Come join the community discussion.

HOW: For interview opportunities or additional information, please contact Stephen Knight, stephen@jlusa.org / 704-689-2489 (cell)