By STEPHANIE SAUL - The New York Times
Free cigarettes are no longer handed out at Congressional Black Caucus functions. But the Congressional Black Caucus has not severed its financial ties to big tobacco. And that can complicate matters when the political discussion involves smoking’s impact on African-Americans.
A rift has opened in the 43-member caucus over a menthol provision in legislation that would enable the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. To reduce smoking’s appeal to teenagers, the legislation would outlaw flavored cigarettes — except for menthol cigarettes, which are exempted. The exemption was seen as a compromise to win broad backing for the legislation.
But menthol has become a politically charged subject in Washington because an estimated 75 percent of black smokers choose mentholated brands.
Critics of the menthol exemption tend to denounce it as a sellout to the tobacco industry, and some members of the black caucus are pressing to narrow the exemption or ban menthol outright. But other caucus members oppose any changes, saying that pushing too hard now on menthol could endanger the entire legislation.
A rift has opened in the 43-member caucus over a menthol provision in legislation that would enable the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. To reduce smoking’s appeal to teenagers, the legislation would outlaw flavored cigarettes — except for menthol cigarettes, which are exempted. The exemption was seen as a compromise to win broad backing for the legislation.
But menthol has become a politically charged subject in Washington because an estimated 75 percent of black smokers choose mentholated brands.
Critics of the menthol exemption tend to denounce it as a sellout to the tobacco industry, and some members of the black caucus are pressing to narrow the exemption or ban menthol outright. But other caucus members oppose any changes, saying that pushing too hard now on menthol could endanger the entire legislation.
Philip Morris has been one of the biggest contributors to the caucus’ nonprofit Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. That financial support has been the reason some critics perceived an alliance between big tobacco and black lawmakers, some of whom were willing to help fend off anti-tobacco efforts.
Black lawmakers who maintain strong tobacco industry ties include Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., who represents a tobacco-growing region of South Carolina and is majority whip of the House.
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