An open letter to the President & U.S. Congress; State Governors & Legislatures
MAHA - Ban Cigarettes—Or Admit You Serve Donors, Not the People
3 so far! Help us get to 5 signers!
We hear all the things you plan to do:
• Ban food dyes.
• Create autism registries using private health data.
• Push “health freedom” campaigns that surveil citizens more than they serve them.
But here’s what you won’t do:
You refuse to ban menthol cigarettes, or cigarettes in general, despite the fact that they:
• Kill 500,000 Americans every year
• Cost $240 billion in annual healthcare expenses
• Target the most vulnerable communities
We don’t need more studies. We already know:
Cigarettes kill. And you’re protecting them.
Why?
Because in 2024, British American Tobacco gave $8.5 million to Trump’s super PAC.
Altria gave another $2.5 million to support the GOP.
And just like that, the FDA menthol ban vanished.
This isn’t policy. It’s payoff.
You banned flavored vapes “for the children.”
But you kept menthol cigarettes for the donors.
So here’s the truth:
If you care about health—put your money and your power where the real problem is.