RALEIGH, N.C. — The FDA is proposing a ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars to reduce tobacco-related deaths and prevent youth addiction.

What You Need To Know

  • The FDA says the proposed ban is to reduce tobacco-related deaths and disease, and prevent the next generation from becoming addicted

  • North Carolina is the No. 1 state for tobacco production and jobs

  • Public comments on the proposal can be submitted to the FDA starting May 4

North Carolina is the No. 1 state in the nation for tobacco production and jobs, although the industry has been on the decline for more than 20 years. Numbers from Tobacco-Free Kids show there were 89.7% fewer tobacco farms in the state in 2017, compared with 1997.

Tawfick Gerges, manager of Mr. Tobacco & Vapor on New Hope Church Road in Raleigh, says menthol cigarettes bring in about a third of the shop's daily sales.

"$2,000 a day, just on all these menthol cigarettes because people tend to not go for the stronger, full-flavored cigarettes," Gerges said.

He said the flavor makes the experience easier on the customers' lungs and throat while they are smoking. It's also the reason the flavored cigars are popular.

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Gerges is a former cigarette smoker who transitioned to vaping four years ago. He says getting more people to quit smoking would be a good thing.

"For the business, yeah, it sucks. But, in all honesty, we all want to see humanity itself be healthier," Gerges said. "If all they smoke is menthol, and they see that there's no menthol cigarettes, hopefully they'll go to vaping. They'll go to any other means to get nicotine, like patches or nicotine gum, stuff like that. They'll have less of the tobacco and the tar that's clogging up their lungs."

Starting May 4, the FDA will be accepting public comment on the proposed rules. Public listening sessions will follow on June 13 and June 15.