Indiana Congressman argues that menthol ban will benefit terrorist organizations

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and other lawmakers argued Tuesday that banning menthol cigarettes will risk enriching and benefiting terrorist organizations. 

In a letter sent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Banks expressed concern that a proposed rule banning menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars would enrich Hamas and other terrorist groups who profit from smuggling black market tobacco.

“A ban on menthol cigarettes risks significantly enlarging this illicit market and driving millions in new revenue to state sponsors of terrorism and foreign terrorist organizations,” the letter reads. 

You can read the letter here: 

“We urge you to pause all rulemaking on menthol cigarettes until the intelligence community and law enforcement agencies can weigh in on this decision and force the administration to seriously consider the harm this rule will cause to our national security," the letter continues. "The perpetrators of the October 7th attacks and their closest terrorist allies should not be rewarded by misguided and paternalistic policies.”

Banks told the Daily Caller in an exclusive interview that the Biden administration should be more focused on tackling the fentanyl crisis at the southern border instead of potentially banning flavored cigarettes. 

The other representatives that signed the bill are: Ronny Jackson, R-Texas; Lisa McClain, R-Mich.; August Pfluger, R-Texas; David Kustoff, R-Tenn.; and Rob Wittman, R-Va.