Anti-Tobacco Groups Drop Suit Over FDA Delay in Banning Menthol

Public health groups that sued the FDA for failing to follow through on a plan to ban menthol-flavored cigarettes voluntarily dropped their lawsuit against the agency.

The groups’ notice to voluntarily dismiss the case, filed Monday in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, ends a legal challenge brought last year against the Food and Drug Administration’s delay in finalizing a Biden-era rule that would have pulled menthol cigarettes from store shelves.

“Due to lack of progress in the courts, we decided to focus our efforts on more local approaches to protect people from menthol,” said Kelsey ...