Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41705314›Full record

ArticleNicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco2026

News coverage of the proposed menthol cigarette ban in the United States (2022-2024): a content analysis.

Olivia A Wackowski, Jeannie Garmon, Aila Altunbilek, Amanda Johnson, Ollie Ganz, Charity A Ntansah, Craig S Fryer, Andrea C Villanti, Kymberle L Sterling

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07543081 (The Unvarnished Truth), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07543081 nanot yet recruitingnot on this map

The Unvarnished Truth: Pursuing Health Equity by Correcting Disinformation Targeting African Americans About the FDA's Proposed Ban on Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars

TypeinterventionalSponsorRutgers, The State University of New JerseyRan2026 to 2028Enrolled1,000ConditionsDisinformation, Menthol Cigarettes, Flavored CigarsArmsIndividual delivery of anti-disinformation messaging, Community delivery of anti-disinformation messaging
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Identifying key beliefs for anti-disinformation messaging for Black adults about proposed US bans on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Olivia A WackowskiInstitute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9159-5473
Jeannie GarmonInstitute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Aila AltunbilekInstitute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Amanda JohnsonInstitute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Ollie GanzInstitute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Charity A NtansahInstitute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.ORCID 0009-0003-1488-6375
Craig S FryerDepartment of Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Andrea C VillantiInstitute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3104-966X
Kymberle L SterlingInstitute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.

Funding

The Unvarnished Truth: Pursuing Health Equity by Correcting Disinformation Targeting African Americans about the FDA's Proposed Ban on Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored CigarsR01MD018728 · NIMHD · RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES · PI Kymberle L Sterling, Andrea Villanti · 2023 to 2026
$2.6M
NIH HHS R01MD018728NIMHD NIH HHS R01 MD018728
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIn April 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration announced a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes, a historic policy to improve public health. This study aimed to identify arguments used to position the ban in relevant news sources to determine how messages were framed and inform future educational and policy efforts.

methodsOnline news databases were searched for articles about the ban published between April 2022 and April 2024 in the top 25 circulating newspapers in the United State, one online-only news source (CNN), three national news wires (AP, Reuters, UPI), and one press release wire. Unique articles (n = 122) were coded for pro- and anti-ban arguments and their sources.

resultsSupporting arguments referred to public health benefits (75% of all articles), health equity issues (66%), and targeted marketing of tobacco products in Black communities (61%). Most articles also noted youth prevalence (65%) and that menthol qualities facilitate use (57%). Fewer articles (34%) mentioned that ban enforcement would not be against individuals. Anti-ban arguments related to concerns about increased criminalization in Black communities (54%), and 20% referred to the ban as discriminatory. Arguments on both sides were attributed to Black organizations, leaders, and advocates (pro-48%; anti-26%).

conclusionsThis study identified gaps in news coverage related to the ban's rationale, enforcement plans, and industry-funding of anti-ban advocacy efforts, finding that coverage often framed the ban as a debated issue, particularly with implications for Black individuals and communities. Messaging on these topics may build public and political support for menthol cigarette policies. IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest that message amplification about the rationale for menthol cigarette policies, enforcement plans, and tobacco company involvement in shaping the anti-ban narrative may be beneficial in any potential future messaging around menthol cigarette policies, along with anticipating and acknowledging concerns about criminalization in Black communities. Further, there is an opportunity to highlight public support for policies that reduce menthol cigarette use. Examining how tobacco control policy debates unfold in the media can help inform future actions to educate constituents and lawmakers about these policies.

Indexed as

Mass MediaMentholTobacco ProductsHumansPublic HealthTobacco ControlTobacco IndustryUnited StatesUnited States Food and Drug AdministrationMentholcommunicationcontent analysismentholnewspolicy

Identifiers

PMID41705314
PMCPMC13285322

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.