Chicago regulates the sale of flavored tobacco around schools, the first law anywhere to regulate menthol products. The ordinance came to fruition after Mayor Emanuel directs the Chicago Board of Health to explore the effect of menthol on Chicago residents, in the wake of an FDA evaluation of the health effects of menthol cigarettes. The Board of Health, local health organizations including RHA, and Chicago Aldermen host menthol town hall meetings across the city to gather resident testimony on the impact of menthol tobacco on their community and ideas to reduce the negative impact of menthol. Ultimately, the city acted to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol, within 500ft of a school. Since Chicago regulated menthol in 2013, many cities have followed suit, including San Francisco and the Twin Cities.
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