A number of cities in the U.S. have already approved of a ban on menthol cigarettes, even the FDA has proposed a ban on the products as well. Among those who have sought to impose restrictions on menthol products are areas like New York City, San Fransisco, Somerville, Chicago, and others.

For the city of Minneapolis, they made the move back in 2017. That's when they initiated their own crackdown on menthol which included a ban on them being sold in convenience stores or corner stores. You would only be allowed to find the products in adult tobacco stores or liquor stores.

What happened as a result?

After they imposed the new restrictions it's reported that tobacco shops in the area doubled as a result. They were also allegedly receiving so many inquiries from people who were interested in opening up their own new tobacco shops that they had to ban all new tobacco shops for a year. Because the government, not the people themselves, will decide what the people need in their community.

In the beginning, the government sought to ban menthol cigarettes because they were allegedly attempting to reduce access, but they ended-up fueling the creation of more tobacco shops in the market. This all sounds a little bit too familiar.

Then, to respond to the overwhelming request to open shops, they initiated another ban by putting a stop to giving out new licenses for those who wanted to open their own stores. What will they ban next? Which freedom might we lose tomorrow?

Now that they've seen a rise in new shops it's reported that they're mulling over other restrictions to try and address the “problem”.

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