Quit Menthol Your Way
Menthol Flavor Mask Ugliness of Tobacco.
Menthol flavor masks the ugliness of tobacco, making it easy to start and hard to quit.
Today, nearly 90% of all African American smokers use menthol cigarettes, and more than 45,000 African Americans die from tobacco-related causes each year.
The tobacco industry has targeted African Americans and strategically marketed its products to appeal to the community for decades, including placing more advertising in predominantly black neighborhoods and in publications that are popular with black audiences.
Quit Your Way
Mecklenburg County Public Health launched a campaign titled, “Quit Menthol Your Way” to raise awareness about the harmful effects of menthol flavored tobacco and link the community to quit resources. If you need support to quit tobacco, help is just a call or click away! Combining quit counseling along with FDA-approved medications can greatly increase your chances for success in quitting tobacco use. QuitlineNC provides a culturally tailored quit program for African American callers, called Pathways to Freedom.
QuitlineNC en Español
QuitlineNC es una línea telefónica que proporciona la preparación y el apoyo que pueden ayudarle a dejar de fumar (o vapear o mascar). Llame al 1-855-Déjelo-Ya (1-855-335-3569).
Quit Menthol Your Way Marketing Materials
Resources
English
- Check out the new 2024 ads launched by CDC’s “Tips From Former Smokers.” Many of the new ads include messaging on the harms of menthol tobacco.
- Learn Why Tobacco is a Racial Justice Issue from The Truth initiative.
- Black Lives, Black Lungs
- See how the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids is working to end Big Tobacco’s predatory marketing to Black communities with Stopping Menthol, Saving Lives.
- Learn from CDC's Commercial Tobacco and Health Equity about Unfair and Unjust Practices and Conditions Harm African American People and Drive Health Disparities,
- The Center for Black Health & Equity talks about menthol tobacco and the African American community.
Spanish
- Learn about Tobacco Use Among Hispanic and Latino Americans from the Truth Initiative.
- Visit CDC’s webpage on Hispanic and Latino People and Commercial Tobacco Use: Health Disparities and Ways to Advance Health Equity
- For English and Spanish materials visit the American Lung Association page, Addressing Tobacco Use in Hispanic or Latino Communities.
Menthol Melanation TV
No Menthol Sunday
The Center for Black Health & Equity’s No Menthol Sunday is our annual opportunity for faith communities to address the detrimental impact tobacco has on Black communities. Each year the Center encourages faith leaders to dedicate the third Sunday of May to educating congregants about smoking, vaping and the role of menthol and other flavors.
