In recent days, a group run by tobacco giant Philip Morris has been calling Washington, D.C. residents, urging them to contact the D.C. Commission to oppose an upcoming ban on the sale of flavored tobacco and menthol cigarettes.

These calls come from tobacco rights citizens directly associated with Philip Morris. One recipient of the call, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid potential repercussions related to his work, revealed that the call included a survey and prompted residents to call lawmakers urging them not to spend our tax dollars enforcing the ban.

"I told them I support the ban and that cigarettes will kill millions and it's worth it," said the person who answered the phone.

Also on the phone was Alex Dodds of the progressive political group DC for Democracy, who tweeted urging them to oppose DC's unfair ban on flavored tobacco.

The city council is preparing for its second and final vote next Tuesday on the city's 2023 budget, which includes funding to begin enforcing a bill passed last year. The measure, known as the Flavored Electronic Smoking Device Ban Amendment of 2021, bans the sale of flavored tobacco and menthol cigarettes in Washington, D.C., with the exception of hookah sticks. It also bans the sale of electronic smoking devices within a quarter mile of a middle school or high school.

The bill became law in October, but implementation has been delayed because the mayor and council must be held accountable for its $13.8 million four-year list price due to lost revenue from product sales and the cost of actually enforcing the ban. If the city council finally approves the budget next week, it will begin on Oct. 1.

The ban will bring Washington, D.C., into action with a growing number of states and localities on flavored tobacco products and e-cigarettes.

In addition, last month the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed a ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, saying they have the potential to significantly reduce illness and death from the use of burnt tobacco products by reducing experimentation among teens. leading cause of preventable death.

Still, the city council’s debate on the bill last year was complex and nuanced, with some lawmakers and the city council’s own office of racial equality worried that the enforcement of any ban could disproportionately affect Black and brown residents and businesses.

The office's analysis did point out, however, that ads for menthol cigarettes were primarily aimed at the black community.

"For residents like Eric Garner and George Floyd, enforcing minor violations is often an excuse for a catastrophic encounter with law enforcement." Assemblyman Janice Lewis George (D-Ward 4) said he was one of three lawmakers who voted against the bill.

Citizens for Tobacco Rights said on its website that a better tool would be to ban the sale of tobacco to anyone under the age of 21, which is already a law in Washington, D.C. The group did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday morning - adding that bans on flavored tobacco and Menthol cigarettes may create a black market for them.

“When states or localities ban adult flavoring, they can make things worse. There’s already a big black market for tobacco products, mostly because taxes are so high. Banning adults 21 and older from buying what they want Bans on products will only lead to a larger black market where products are made by pirates. This is bad for public health," the website said.

"We're not surprised by Big Tobacco's last-ditch effort to stop Washington's leaders from putting the health of our community members ahead of profit. More than 70 community and public health organizations in Washington, D.C. have funded this law." Flavors said Josh Brown, campaign manager for Hook Kids DC.

The campaign caught some attention last fall with emails featuring Mayor Muriel Bowser, almost resembling a reelection campaign ad.

This isn't the first time a large targeted industry has opposed DC legislation. In 2019, soda makers launched a campaign against a proposed bill that would impose a new tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The bill died last year amid organized opposition.

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