May 18 was No Menthol Sunday 2025 (NMS), the eleventh anniversary of The Center for Black Health & Equity’s annual tobacco justice observance day. NMS is dedicated to exposing the harms of menthol and flavored tobacco by providing resources and discussion pieces for faith-based communities.
At The Center, we are keeping a close eye on how the executive orders from the current administration are changing the landscape of public health. Much of our federal support, such as the Office of Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), has dissolved. Our partners have lost funding or and some are feeling the restrictions imposed on their efforts to continue the important work of saving Black lives.
The Center supports those who have been forced to tread lightly at this time, and we are incredibly thankful to those who were still able to observe No Menthol Sunday in their communities.
Menthol and other flavors in commercial tobacco make it easier to start using these products but much harder to quit. Though the quit journey can be difficult, we know it is for the better and presents us with new opportunities. This is what helped to inspire the 2025 No Menthol Sunday theme–Clearing the Way. By dispelling misinformation around the harms of tobacco, community leaders can educate and provide valuable resources to those starting their quit journeys. “Clearing the Way” embraces renewed efforts, new beginnings, and shows others how a tobacco-free future can be filled with clarity and precious moments.
People can access free social media graphics, posters, and the NMS toolkit on NoMentholSunday.org to encourage dialogue about the harms of tobacco with their loved ones. For the first time, we provided a Spanish-translated version of the No Menthol Sunday toolkit to make way for other communities to get involved. Developing and distributing these resources has proven to aid in the success of No Menthol Sunday.
The Center is proud to share that No Menthol Sunday gained over 148 million impressions this year, with over 140 mentions in the media. This speaks to the magnitude of this campaign and how unity will help sustain NMS for years to come, until we achieve a tobacco-free society.
Some highlights from this year’s participants:
The no menthol movement reached the Charleston Hispanic Association and Embrace All Latino Voices Coalition in South Carolina where they held an outdoor event with food, families and art supplies to create No Menthol Sunday posters.
The Coalition for a Tobacco Free Arkansas held a press conference at the state capitol building to increase awareness about social injustices surrounding commercial tobacco.
Churches in Buffalo, NY gathered to “reflect, recharge and recommit to the fight against menthol tobacco” asking congregants what motivates them to fight against menthol.
In California, the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council held a virtual kick-off event and offered a raffle for churches to host their own NMS event.
From coast to coast, The Center for Black Health & Equity sees the outstanding efforts of our partners to achieve health justice and health equity for our communities, and we are grateful for the ongoing support.
