An analysis of Twitter posts about the U.S. FDA's menthol ban.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed a ban on menthol cigarettes in April 2022. This study content analyzed Twitter posts from a two-week period to understand the public's response to the proposed menthol ban. Twitter posts with the word "menthol" often discussed distrust in government and mentioned racial discrimination. Findings demonstrated the possibility of near real time Twitter monitoring of public opinion of regulatory action. Findings underscore the need to educate the public about the potential health benefits of banning menthol from cigarettes, particularly for populations that experience tobacco-related health disparities.