FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                     
April 28, 2022

Contact: Brian Reardon

Statement by Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, President and Chief Executive Officer
Catholic Health Association of the United States

WASHINGTON, DC – “The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) applauds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for proposing rules that would prohibit menthol as a flavor in cigarettes and prohibit all flavors in cigars. We believe this action by the FDA is an important step toward protecting the health of all Americans, in particular young people and Black Americans.

“The FDA/NIH Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study found that almost 81% of 12-17 year-olds who have used a tobacco product initiated use with a flavored product. And due to decades of marketing directed at the Black community, menthol cigarettes have had a particularly harmful impact on the health of Black Americans.

“Because smoking, and exposure to second-hand smoke, kills nearly 500,000 people each year, CHA supports policies intended to reduce the number of people who use tobacco products.”

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The Catholic Health Association of the United States is the national leadership organization of the Catholic health ministry, representing the largest nonprofit provider of health care services in the nation.

• 1 in 7 patients in the U.S. is cared for in a Catholic hospital each day.
• Catholic health care, which includes more than 2,200 hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, systems, sponsors, and related organizations, serves the full continuum of health care across our nation.