FDA proposes ban on menthol cigarettes

FDA commissioner Robert Califf announced the rules while testifying before a congressional subcommittee, saying that "these actions are appropriate for the protection of public health."

He added that a ban would "reduce the mortality risk of current smokers of menthol cigarettes or flavored cigars by substantially decreasing their consumption and increasing the likelihood of cessation."

The rules could be the most aggressive action taken by the FDA to regulate tobacco products to date, per the Washington Post.

The big picture: The CDC says that while tobacco companies claim that menthol cigarettes are "smoother" than other cigarettes, they "are not less harmful than other cigarettes and they are likely a greater risk to public health than non-menthol cigarettes."