The US could ban backwoods and other flavored blunts

Starting in 2022, no more cocktail-flavored blunts Russian cream, dark beer, or honey in the United States. These flavors, as outlandish as they may seem, are extremely popular among American cannabis smokers. Especially Black people. But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decides to stop selling these products, because these flavored cigars increase the risk of cancer, since they are made from tobacco leaves.

«For too long, certain populations, including African Americans, have been disproportionately targeted and affected by tobacco use. Despite the enormous efforts we have made to get people to quit smoking, not everyone has benefited from these advances.”« , a recognized In a statement, Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Control.

A study published in 2011 in the’American Journal of Public Health shows that a ban on flavored blunts could reduce tobacco use among 25 % of African Americans by 2050. In absolute terms, this represents 237,000 lives saved.

Wiz Khalifa is thrilled… but the tobacco industry isn't

This decision should make Wiz Khalifa very happy. The rapper is known for his love of cannabis and his opposition to blunt. « Stop smoking blunts!, the Pittsburgh native asked on Instagram. »If you smoke blunts, you like tobacco, not weed. We're not on the same team." In fact, it’s no coincidence that the rolling paper brand RAW has has formed a partnership with Wiz Khalifa.

But the desire to ban Blackwoods However, this and other measures are not universally supported. First, organizations representing the Black community fear a new wave of arrests. Now that Several states have legalized cannabis, African Americans could face incarceration for simply possessing a blunt. «A ban would disproportionately affect communities of color, leading to criminalization and more incarcerations. We can avoid this approach.», the American Civil Liberties Union calls for on Twitter.

Of course, the ban isn't popular with the very powerful tobacco industry either. According to Stat News, a media outlet specializing in health, the multinational companies in the sector will take the matter to court. They believe that this decision cannot be justified. «There will be no health benefits if blunt smokers simply switch to Marlboros or buy products on the black market.», says the president of the American Vapers Association. This position is refuted by scientific studies.