[THEHILL] A ban on flavored e-cigarettes and tobacco products passed the House on Friday but divided Democrats, with some saying it unfairly targets African Americans.The bill, which passed 213-195, was sponsored by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.), a Health and Human Services secretary under former President Clinton. It is intended to curb the rise of youth vaping rates by banning non-tobacco flavors such as mint and mango that public health experts say lure children into smoking.
It would also ban menthol cigarettes, which are disproportionately used by African Americans after years of targeted marketing by tobacco companies.
While most Democrats supported the measure, some members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) voted against the bill, worrying it could give police a way to target African Americans.
"This legislation has dire, unintended consequences for African Americans," said Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), a member of the CBC. "Law enforcement would have an additional reason to stop and frisk menthol tobacco users because menthol would be considered illegal under this ban."
She also took issue with the fact that the bill exempts premium cigars favored by white people but took aim at products used by black people.
"The message that we're sending is that, you know, for poorer communities ‐ communities with less franchise that are gonna be over-policed ‐ we're going to add an extra burden to them," Clarke told The Hill on Thursday.
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