Prohibiting Flavored Tobacco Products

Flavored tobacco products are enticing to youth and young adults. Eliminating the sale of flavored tobacco products has, therefore, been an overarching goal of tobacco control.¹ Examples of flavors used in tobacco products include menthol, mint, candy, grape, apple, and cherry, flavors associated with cocktails (e.g., appletini, pina colada), concept flavors such as ice, and synthetic flavors. In 2009, a prohibition on flavors in cigarettes was implemented through the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, but menthol and tobacco flavors were exempted.² The US Food and Drug Administration announced several enforcement policies to address other flavored products, including cigars labelled as cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes.³ Additionally, the FDA has the authority to restrict flavors in products on a product-by-product basis through the premarket review of new tobacco products. Currently, the FDA has proposed product standards that would eliminate flavors in all cigarettes and cigars.

States and localities also have authority to restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products. As of July 2025, 7 states and nearly 400 jurisdictions (e.g., cities and counties) prohibit sales of some flavored tobacco products, and a few have a policy covering all flavored tobacco products (Map 4.2.17, Map 4.2.18).^4,5

Prohibiting the sale of flavored e-cigarettes reduces overall purchases of these products (Figure 4.2.19).⁶ Specifically, it reduces e-cigarette use by youth and young adults (though not among adults).⁷ The decline in e-cigarette use among youth and young adults may be offset, however, by an increase in youth or young adult use of non-flavored e-cigarettes and/or cigarettes and cigars.⁸