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NNPA President Discusses Menthol Ban Delay with CNN

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “On December 9, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, told Victor Blackwell, Anchor and Correspondent of CNN, “The ban will have negative consequences in the Black community. From my long years as a civil rights activist, I’m against all forms of racial profiling and racial targeting. Bans do not work. We are calling for a Racial Impact Study. The FDA did not study the racial consequences of this new proposal. We want to save lives in the Black community from disproportionate health, but we also want to save lives from police brutality. We don’t want another Eric Garner…”
The post NNPA President Discusses Menthol Ban Delay with CNN first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

December 15, 2023

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“We must have a Racial Impact Study before a ban is passed.”

By Black Press USA

The Biden-Harris administration will not announce a decision to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco until March 2024 or later. The administration says it will continue meeting with groups in the coming months to understand more about the unintended consequences of the ban.

On December 9, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, told Victor Blackwell, Anchor and Correspondent of CNN, “The ban will have negative consequences in the Black community. From my long years as a civil rights activist, I’m against all forms of racial profiling and racial targeting. Bans do not work. We are calling for a Racial Impact Study. The FDA did not study the racial consequences of this new proposal. We want to save lives in the Black community from disproportionate health [impacts], but we also want to save lives from police brutality. We don’t want another Eric Garner. A ban is not the answer; we need more education and treatment facilities to reduce smoking. To target the product preferred by the African American and Latino community is going to cause disparities. I want to see harm reduction done in an appropriate way, not in a way that’s racially targeting Blacks and Latinos.”

Racial Impact Study

According to letters from Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), a nation’s leading nonprofit advocating for criminal justice and drug policy reforms that will make communities safer and more just, here are reasons for requesting a Racial Impact Study:

“The Committee on Law and Justice of the National Research Council of the National Academies (NRC) should assess the social justice impact a ban on menthol cigarettes would have on underserved, underrepresented, and historically discriminated communities. To craft sound policy recommendations, past administrations have relied on such reports as the 2015 NRC’s Committee on Law and Justice issued a report at the FDA’s request entitled “Understanding the U.S. Illicit Tobacco Market: Characteristics, Policy Context, and Lessons from International Experiences,” which looked at the various implications the illicit tobacco market has on domestic production, taxation, public safety.
“Request that the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security conduct a comprehensive study on the implications an illicit menthol cigarette market would have on public safety. This study should be a necessary and informative part of the FDA’s inter-agency decision-making process. It is no secret that the Mexican Cartels have established sophisticated smuggling routes from Mexico and into major U.S. cities for the distribution and sale of illicit drugs like fentanyl. We {LEAP} believe that these same routes would be used to smuggle what would become illegal menthol cigarettes. Illicit markets not only open doors for more crime but also eliminate safeguards put in place by the FDA, the regulatory agency, to ensure and protect what goes into the manufacturing, production, and quality control of cigarettes.”

Reactions

Public health advocates have criticized the Joe Biden administration for delaying a ban on menthol cigarettes, which they say endangers the health of numerous Americans.

Groups have informed the Administration of the criminalization of a menthol ban that could result in “mandatory minimum sentences, revocation of parole, fines, the loss of one’s right to vote, or even deportation, among other criminal legal consequences,” said National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Inc.

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, and the National Newspaper Publishers Association are groups that have met with White House representatives, US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf and US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. The administration says it has not met with all groups that have a stake in the rule and will continue to do that over the coming months.

In opposition to the ban, the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) launched a #SupportBlackFarmers petition, “Black farmers should not have to deal with the economic consequences of a biased government that always takes into account a predominately white-led viewpoint on what should be done in the Black community, our community—what we should smoke, what we should eat, and what we should grow. It is always under the guise that it is in the “best interest” of the Black community and for our health and well-being, even though there has been little done to address the disparities and inequities within our healthcare system. Harm reduction – not prohibition is the better policy choice.”

A White House Office of Management and Budget spokesperson said the agency “remains committed” to finalizing the rules “as expeditiously as possible” but did not explain the delay.

“My best guess as to why it has been pushed back is because of the strength of politics related to tobacco in the US. Menthol cigarettes comprise a growing share of the cigarette market. I think the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission is that they now make up 37% of the cigarette market, and so a menthol ban would have significant economic impacts for cigarette companies,” said Dr. Andrea Villanti, deputy director of the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies.

Others have taken to social media to applaud the Administration’s decision.

“Thank you, Mr. President. You are listening to the concerns brought to you by communities of color asking for #NoMentholBan,” NYS Trooper Director Elliot Boyce (Ret.) said in an X post.

Election 2024

At the forefront of the 2024 election, Americans face many issues like public safety, abortion, human rights, the Israeli-Palestinian War, and the unemployment rate for Black Americans which is the highest jobless percentage in the U.S. at 5.8%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Biden’s poll numbers with Black and youth voters, whom he needs to turn out in large numbers in 2024, have been sagging lately.

“I believe that the ill-advised timing of this ban will have a negative impact on how Black Americans vote in 2024,” Chavis told the Washington Post.

Deputy Inspector Corey Pegues (Ret.) proclaims, “I guess the Biden/Harris administration figured out if they lass the ban on menthol, a whole segment of the population might not come out and vote for them! Whatever the reason, I’m glad it gives me more time to talk about the ban. #stoptheban.”

Smoking

A 2020 study showed that while 43% of all adult smokers smoked menthols, more than 83% of Black smokers did. Only about 30% of White smokers chose menthols.

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said in a statement, “This delay betrays the Administration’s own top priorities. There is no other single action the Biden Administration can take that would do more to advance health equity and achieve the goals of the President’s Cancer Moonshot initiative. As the Administration has repeatedly stated, smoking causes 30% of all cancer deaths in the United States and is “the biggest single driver of cancer deaths in this country.” If the White House is serious about health equity and the Cancer Moonshot, and about improving the health of Black Americans, it must issue and implement a final rule to eliminate menthol cigarettes without further delay.”

Overall, adult and youth smoking rates in the U.S. are the lowest they have ever been in public health history. The most smoked cigarette in America is the non-mentholated Marlboro, which would be exempt under the proposed ban. Reports show that Marlboro’s are smoked by more White Americans.

Dr. Chavis, recently named the Duke University Inaugural Environmental Justice and Racial Equity Fellow, told CNN, “In the Black Press, we defend the overall interest of the Black community. We are an advocate for civil rights and racial justice. And we again oppose the ban; this is like stop-and-frisk. You remember when they passed the Crime Bill in 1994, everybody was glamming for it, including some in the Congressional Black Caucus, and look what happened: it had a devasting consequence on Black and Brown communities.”

The post NNPA President Discusses Menthol Ban Delay with CNN first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

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Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

5 days ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

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PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

5 days ago

February 27, 2026

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Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,