The Trump administration withdrew the proposed rule that would have banned menthol in cigarettes and flavored cigars, CNN reports.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had sent the final version of its rule banning menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars to the White House for its approval in October 2023. After intense lobbying from different stakeholder groups, the Biden White House did not finalize the ban.

In April 2024, a coalition of medical organizations and civil rights groups sued the FDA for missing its own deadline to ban menthol. The groups say the lawsuit continues, although it is not clear how it will be affected by the withdrawal of the proposed rule.

Yolonda C. Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, told CNN her organization was very disappointed the ban did not occur in a timely manner under the Biden administration.

“We continue to strongly support eliminating menthol cigarettes to end the tobacco industry’s decades-long, predatory marketing of these products to kids, Black Americans and other communities,” Richardson told CNN. “We will continue to build support for eliminating menthol cigarettes nationwide. In the meantime, it is more critical than ever that states and cities step up their efforts to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products.”