Margolius previously told News 5 that Cleveland leads the nation with a smoking rate of 35% among adults (the national average is 12.5%), and the city has an average life expectancy anywhere from 10-20 years shorter compared to neighboring communities.
"The problem with menthol cigarettes is they have a natural cough suppressant built into that flavor and people breathe them deeper and longer and more addicted to the nicotine," he explained.
In 2009, the Tobacco Control Act banned flavored cigarettes, except for menthol, from being sold across the country.
"While we're excited we might be getting closer to a federal rule, we're worried that will get stuck in the courts for years, so the most impactful policy will still happen on the local level if we're able to do that," Margolius said.
Experts point out that time is of the essence for a federal ban on menthol, given it would take the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about a year to implement a ban, which would likely need to occur before the next presidential inauguration in order for it to take effect.
