MJP –
Now is a critical juncture in Kansas City for our community’s dedication to fairness and public health. The City Council is now debating a flavor prohibition proposal that would outlaw all nicotine, flavored tobacco, and vape products that do not have FDA certification.
Unfortunately, influential lobbyists and naive council members are trying to weaken this law so that it doesn’t cover menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, which would leave the shops stocked with the most harmful items.
The underlying racism in the tobacco industry’s targeting of communities of color has been pointed out by Councilwoman Melissa Patterson-Hazley, who is also a co-sponsor of this important legislation. “It always stands out to me when a product or behavior is proven to be harmful and then layered on top of that is targeted toward a certain population,” she said during the Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee meeting.
When that happens, discussions about systemic racism can begin. “Doubt me, I hear your concern about the individual’s freedom of choice,” Patterson-Hazley explained. However, in my opinion, the market is heavily manipulated. As soon as you become a target, where does free will even come into play?
An astounding 86% of Black smokers consume menthol cigarettes, which has been a weapon used to exploit and damage Black people for decades.
Rather than being about free will, this is about long-lasting exploitation. At this crossroads, some council members are giving in to the misleading narratives propagated by studies funded by tobacco companies. These studies falsely assert, among other things, that adults’ rights are violated when they are unable to enjoy flavored goods. The truth, though, is that addiction, manipulation, and coercion are not things that one can choose.
Especially in districts like the 5th, the tobacco industry has saturated Kansas City’s minority neighborhoods with marketing for their products, preying on the systemic strains experienced by our young and other vulnerable populations. In contrast, these misleading advertising are significantly less prevalent in districts with a majority of white residents, such the 1st and 2nd. We can no longer turn a blind eye to this obvious disparity.
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It should be noted that the purpose of this restriction is not to restrict anyone’s right to smoke. Tobacco companies’ most sinister tool, flavored products, are soon to be taken away.
The harshness of tobacco has been disguised for decades by sweet, fruity, and minty flavors, making it easier for people to start smoking and harder for them to quit. In communities of color, menthol cigarettes and flavored goods have been aggressively promoted, and keeping them on the market does little to preserve personal choice but rather the industry’s capacity to exploit and manipulate. Removing the items that ensnare people in addiction cycles is the only way to grant people true choice, which includes freedom from manipulation.
A public health emergency has been triggered by the disproportionately high rates of addiction, lung cancer, and heart disease among Black and Latino communities. It’s intentional, not random. Tobacco companies are well-informed when they flood these areas with flavored goods and use culturally deceptive advertising. To end the epidemic of addiction and the structural inequities that have afflicted our community for so long, it is essential to outlaw flavored tobacco products.
Human Right Group – https://naacp.org/
Illnesses caused by tobacco account for a substantial portion of Kansas City’s almost $50 million health levy expenditure each year. Tobacco use is directly associated with 80–90% of all incidences of lung cancer, according to the research. This ordinance must pass without exceptions if our goal is to improve public health.
Hosted most recently by Kansas City, the United States Conference of Mayors has overwhelmingly and bipartisanly supported a ban on all-flavored items. The very idea that our city council is contemplating watering down this legislation is disgraceful. The numbers don’t lie: We aren’t talking about eliminating “choice.” Life is at stake.
Look to national leaders and reliable research, not misinformation funded by the tobacco business, if some members of the City Council genuinely care about the community’s desires.
Communities of color are disproportionately affected by menthol products, and the NAACP has long advocated for a prohibition on these items. Majorities of Black voters want taste prohibitions, according to newly revealed study this year. Please, council, put the needs of the community ahead of those of the business community.
The city of Kansas City must stop ignoring the abuse and exploitation of its most defenseless citizens. It is imperative that all flavored tobacco products be completely banned for the sake of our community’s future health. Let us seize this opportunity to confront systematic racism and make public health a top priority. Let us work together to make Kansas City a better, more equitable place to live.
