No Menthol Sunday, May 17, 2026

As smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death, I encourage faith-based and community leaders to participate in No Menthol Sunday scheduled for Sunday, May 17. For decades the tobacco industry has targeted the African American community with advertising and other promotional efforts.

No Menthol Sunday is a faith-based initiative of The Center for Black Health and Equity and is part of an ongoing effort to eliminate the sales of menthol-flavored products. The purpose is to provide supportive services for community leaders and assist them in educating their congregants about the dangers of smoking and vaping and how the tobacco industry markets menthol-flavored products. The initiative also provides support for those addicted to tobacco products.

The impact of menthol-flavored products on the African American community is clear in the following facts and statistics provided by No Menthol Sunday:

• Menthol’s minty flavor makes it easier to start smoking and harder to quit.
• Menthol cigarettes are used by 85 percent of African American people who smoke.
• Removing menthol from cigarettes would help prevent youth addiction and experimentation.

More information, including recommendations for sermons, are available at www.nomentholsunday.org

Faith-based and community leaders can also address this issue by scheduling PDFNJ’s 15 Minute Child Break Presentation. This free multi-media program covers the latest drug trends and provides parents, coaches, teachers and other adult caregivers with effective preventive strategies to communicate with their kids about substance use and misuse.