# Banning menthol cigarettes **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 28, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banning-menthol-cigarettes/940973 "2021-04-28T19:02:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 57
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banning-menthol-cigarettes/940973/57 "2021-04-29T20:48:27Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > As a former smoker I can tell you this: people pick up the habit because they think it looks cool, and they stay on it because of the drug that’s in it. The drug is all they need. If you take the menthols away, smokers will absolutely switch to an unflavored brand. They’ll bitch about it for a few days, or the rest of their life, but their drug cravings will be satisfied. Or, they’ll quit over it (but probably not). How do you think the hypothetical Black man described by Martin\_Hyde will perceive the ban? Do you think he’ll be grateful to the government for banning his favorite smokes? Or do you think he’ll perceive it as racist? --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banning-menthol-cigarettes/940973)._