For decades, menthol cigarettes were aggressively marketed in Black communities across America through music culture, neighborhood advertising, sponsorships and price-driven campaigns that many public health advocates now say contributed to long-term health disparities and nicotine addiction.
That history is one reason organizations across the country will observe No Menthol Sunday this weekend.
The national awareness campaign, led by the Center for Black Health & Equity, focuses on educating communities about the decades-long targeting of menthol products in Black neighborhoods and encouraging smokers to seek support if they want to quit.
Locally, prevention advocate Deidra Fountain said the goal is bigger than menthol cigarettes alone.
“It’s about awareness, education and helping people understand the impact nicotine addiction has had in our communities,” Fountain said.
Fountain works in prevention and community outreach throughout Wichita and Sedgwick County, focusing on smoking cessation, youth vaping prevention and nicotine education.
A History Many People Never Learned
For many health advocates, No Menthol Sunday is about helping communities better understand how menthol products became deeply tied to Black culture in the first place.
For years, tobacco companies promoted menthol cigarettes heavily in Black neighborhoods through advertising campaigns, cultural sponsorships and targeted marketing strategies. Over time, many prevention advocates say the marketing became normalized — so normalized that generations grew up without questioning why menthol cigarettes became so common in African American communities.
“We are targeted, and I want to spread awareness so more people understand that,” Fountain said.
Why Menthol Cigarettes Raise Additional Concerns
Health advocates say menthol cigarettes create unique concerns beyond regular cigarettes because menthol produces a cooling, numbing sensation that can make smoke feel less harsh on the throat and lungs.
Researchers and public health organizations say that cooling effect may encourage deeper inhalation and make smoking easier for young or first-time users to tolerate. Advocates also argue the smoother sensation can make menthol cigarettes more addictive and more difficult to quit.
The issue has been especially significant in Black communities because of decades of targeted marketing.
According to public health research, about 81% of Black smokers use menthol cigarettes, compared to about 34% of white smokers.
Researchers have also estimated that menthol cigarette marketing contributed to approximately 1.5 million Black Americans starting smoking between 1980 and 2018.
A separate University of Michigan study found Black Americans accounted for 41% of menthol-smoking-related premature deaths despite representing roughly 12% of the U.S. population.
More Than Just Smoking
Fountain said her work on curbing nicotine use and addiction goes far beyond menthol cigarettes, with nicotine addiction today extending far beyond traditional cigarettes.
According to the Kansas Tobacco Prevention and Control: Progress and Challenges 2024 Annual Report, nearly 1 in 7 high school students in Kansas report using e-cigarettes, while approximately 4.6% report smoking cigarettes. Nearly 15% report using some form of tobacco product.
Fountain said many of the same concerns are visible locally.
“With my background in social work and my aspirations of becoming a therapist, I see a strong connection between trauma and nicotine use,” she said. “In many cases, it is not just a habit — it is a coping mechanism tied to deeper, unresolved stress or pain.”
That reality, she said, means prevention efforts must go beyond simply telling people not to smoke.
Rather than relying only on punishment or warnings, Fountain believes communities must also address mental health, stress, trauma and emotional support systems.
Youth Vaping Remains a Growing Concern
One of the biggest concerns Fountain sees today is how normalized vaping has become among young people.
“I’ve heard youth talk about vaping in school bathrooms as if it has become a normal part of their environment,” she said.
She said many vaping products are intentionally designed to appear less dangerous through flavors, colorful packaging, social media messaging and marketing that makes vaping feel trendy or harmless.
“Tobacco companies have a long history of targeting the African American community, and we are now seeing some of those same strategies adapted to reach youth,” Fountain said.
Health experts continue to warn that nicotine addiction can affect brain development, memory, mood, learning and long-term dependence, especially among adolescents whose brains are still developing.
“This is why prevention is so important,” Fountain said. “It is easier to never start than it is to quit.”
Resources Available for Those Ready to Quit
Fountain said education must also include making sure people know support resources are available.
Through her work, she helps connect individuals to smoking cessation and vaping prevention programs, including the Kansas Quitline and My Life, My Quit.
The My Life, My Quit initiative, sponsored by National Jewish Health, is designed specifically for youth and young adults and offers free support through text, phone and online services for those trying to stop using nicotine products.
Fountain said both No Menthol Sunday and My Life, My Quit ultimately share the same mission: helping people make healthier choices and reducing nicotine addiction in Black communities.
She said schools, churches and community organizations all have a role to play in creating safe spaces for honest conversations surrounding nicotine use, prevention, mental health and healing.
“When communities actively support healing and well-being, it reduces the likelihood that individuals will turn to substances,” she said.
For Fountain, the work is ultimately about giving people information, support and resources — not judgment.
She said campaigns like No Menthol Sunday and My Life, My Quit are designed to help individuals better understand nicotine addiction, protect young people from starting and connect those ready to quit with free support services.
“At the end of the day, the role of the community is to educate, support and empower individuals to make healthier choices,” Fountain said.
