“In the midst of the deadliest overdose crisis our country has ever seen, Congress must take immediate action now. We cannot wait for more of our family members, friends, and community members to die before we take critical action. While we commend Congress for passing the American Rescue Plan earlier this year, which provided an unprecedented $30 million in federal funding for harm reduction services such as syringe service programs and naloxone distribution, this is not enough. It is imperative that Congress build upon this effort to more effectively respond to this state of emergency.”

Banning the legal sale of menthol cigarettes through licensed businesses will lead to illegal, unlicensed distribution in communities of color, trigger criminal laws in all 50 states, increase the incidence of negative interactions with police, and ultimately increase incarceration rates. There are far better solutions for reducing menthol cigarette use than criminalizing these products and turning the whole issue over to the police.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to remember that we are still in the midst of an overdose crisis. While many regulators have argued that methadone and buprenorphine policies must be deliberately restrictive due to the risk of overdose, adverse medication effects, and medication diversion, the COVID-19 crisis has forced many regulating bodies to re-evaluate these policies in order to comply with the urgent need for communities to practice social distancing and sheltering-in-place.

“U.S. leadership is needed at the WHO now more than ever, and this includes oversight of its tobacco control strategies. Although the FCTC recognizes three pillars of tobacco control – prevention, cessation, and harm reduction – it has done nothing to recognize the technological innovation or promote policies that advance scientifically substantiated less harmful alternatives.”