Neighbor News
No Menthol, Know Why: June 1, 2020
Massachusetts updated its tobacco laws because we want all people to have a fair chance to be healthy and to thrive. Here's how and why.
Dear Editor,
I want to remind people that starting June 1st, 2020, flavored tobacco, including menthol cigarettes like Kools and Newports will no longer be sold in Massachusetts. Last Fall, the Fight All Flavors campaign and many supporting partners worked to build grassroots understanding of and support for a proposed flavored tobacco restriction with an explicit focus on building youth leadership and calling out the tobacco and nicotine industry’s targeting of menthol in communities of color.
The tobacco and vaping industries have targeted youth, LGBTQ populations and communities of color with their deadly products, causing many health consequences for these populations specifically. Flavors, like mint and menthol, are a leading reason that young people start vaping and using tobacco.
Find out what's happening in Tewksburyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The law, which goes into effect on June 1, 2020, means that:
- Menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products like flavored cigars, flavored chewing tobacco, and flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products will no longer be widely available in Massachusetts.
- E-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products will increase in price.
I’m excited to see that No Menthol Know Why is an extension of that work. I am working with community-based organizations, youth advocates, public health and health care partners, local health departments, churches, and more to reach out to and support the communities most impacted by the new law. We all want to build awareness about the law and provide information about the resources available to help people quit smoking.
Find out what's happening in Tewksburyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
You can help spread the word in your community. Visit NoMentholKnowWhy.org to learn more, to share your menthol story and to find tools and resource to share.
For information about how the law will be enforced visit mass.gov/NewTobaccoLaw.
Help for those who want to quit vaping, smoking or using other tobacco products is available for FREE at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) and KeepTryingMA.org.
Contact Ashley Hall at the Northeast Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, ashley.hall@glfhc.org or (978) 799-8643 to learn more about the law, how you can support people in quitting and to find out how you can partner with the program.
Ashley Hall, MS
Northeast Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, Program Manager
Greater Lawrence Family Health Center
