NY, NYC Weighing Ban On Menthol In Tobacco, E-Cigs [POLL]

Vaping has been in the news recently, with discussions of its safety and a number of vaping-related health cases, including six deaths. On Oct. 4, Governor Andrew Cuomo's emergency executive action banning for 90 days the sale of e-cigarettes that are flavored was supposed to go into effect. The governor said the manufacturers of the flavored vaping products were intentionally targeting young people.

On Oct. 3, a state appeals court temporarily blocked the ban because of a lawsuit from the vaping industry, CBS New York reported.

The initial ban did not apply to tobacco and menthol flavors. However, Cuomo has proposed expanding the scope of the ban to include menthol-flavored products, WHAM reported.

State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker that, while the court's ruling delays the enforcement of the ban, it won't keep the state from addressing the health crisis flavored tobacco and e-cigarettes have caused.

Former New York City mayor David Dinkins said he thought the governor's executive action didn't go far enough because it was temporary and wasn't backed by legislative action, according to an op-ed the former mayor wrote in the Daily News.

Dinkins said he is supporting bills in the New York City Council that would restrict the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes.

He said menthol has an anesthetic effect and a minty flavor that makes it easier for people to start smoking.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared to adults who smoke non-menthol cigarettes, adults who smoke menthol cigarettes try to quit smoking more and have a harder time at it.

Additionally, more than half (54 percent) of 12- to 17-year olds who smoke use menthol cigarettes. That percentage is higher than the percentage of adults 18 and older who smoke menthol cigarettes.

The CDC said the tobacco industry has aggressively marketed menthol products to young people and African Americans.

The statistics bear that out, with seven out of 10 black youths age 12 to 17 who smoke using menthol cigarettes and more black adults started smoking by using menthol cigarettes than white adults: 93 percent to 44 percent.

Now it's time for you to weigh in. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell us what you think in the comments.