Health Resources in Action is part of a powerful statewide movement in Massachusetts to address health inequities and seize the momentum across the Commonwealth to mobilize communities about the impacts of flavored tobacco. For decades, the tobacco industry has targeted Black communities with predatory marketing of mentholated products. That deliberate marketing continues today with heavy advertising and lower menthol cigarette prices in Boston’s communities of color as compared to surrounding, predominantly white cities and towns. The vaping industry has followed a similar playbook, using flavored products to target the next generation of young people.
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering legislation to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products. Ensuring that mentholated products remain part of this legislation is critical to addressing health inequities. In Boston, the Board of Health will hold a hearing on a strengthened regulation that treats menthol tobacco products as it does all other flavored tobacco products, by limiting the sale to adult-only establishments. In this historic moment, we recognize the tobacco’s industry’s lobbying efforts can only be overcome with the strength of our collective voices.
The Fight All Flavors campaign aims to raise awareness and mobilize partners in communities that have been targeted by the tobacco industry and demonstrate support for regulating flavored tobacco products in Massachusetts. Fight All Flavors provides training and outreach about tobacco to community-based organizations through a racial justice lens, and facilitates action through the campaign website, FightAllFlavors.org.
Partners include the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund, Tobacco Free Mass, the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, Boston TenPoint Coalition, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, Madison Park Community Development Corporation, Project RIGHT, and the Office of State Senator John Keenan. Organizations can join us by endorsing the campaign at FightAllFlavors.org.
Now is the time to take a stand in support of flavored tobacco product regulations, including menthol. Tell your state legislators that you support the proposed ban of all flavored tobacco products. Boston residents can also voice support for menthol restrictions being considered by the Boston Board of Health. Take action now at FightAllFlavors.org.
