Why tobacco is a racial justice issue
For decades, the tobacco industry strategically targeted Black Americans with menthol cigarettes, which are easier to smoke and harder to quit.
Tobacco companies such as R.J. Reynolds, Brown Williamson, and Philip Morris, owners of menthol brands such as Newport and Kool, placed their ads in print publications popular with Black audiences, used themes of Black culture and nightlife in their marketing campaigns, and even went as far as distributing free cigarette samples at sponsored events.
Today, the majority of Black smokers use menthol cigarettes.
Read more on Truth Initiative
