Illegal Tobacco Seizures Rising Following Ban on Menthol & Other Flavored Forms of Tobacco

Following a June 2020 ban on menthol cigarettes and other flavored forms of tobacco, illegal tobacco seizures have skyrocketed in Massachusetts according to a state task force report. Massachusetts was the first state to implement a full ban on the sale of menthol and flavored tobacco products and vaping devices. And the result has been a jump in tobacco product seizures, up from 5,377 in 2021 to 18,483 in 2022. Yet, since the ban on menthol smoking went into full effect, rates of cigarette smoking in the commonwealth among adults have fallen just 0.5 points, from 11.1% in 2021 to 10.6% in 2022, according to the Task Force report. Go here to read the report.