It's hard to fathom the cynicism of industry executives who know their product kills but go on pushing it because they want the profits. They insisted the link was unproven between tobacco and cancer, though they knew it was a lie. (Doctors started reporting it in the 1700s, before cigarettes were even invented.) They self-righteously called smoking "an adult choice" even while they marketed to children with "Joe Camel" and the Marlboro man, because they knew most lifelong smokers start in their early teens. And yes, they targeted Black consumers with the most addictive of their additives, but they manipulated nicotine levels to maximize the addictiveness of all their cigarettes.

There's going to be a lot of wailing from Black smokers when the ban takes effect, and probably a robust black market for a while. But with luck, a fair percentage of those folks will find they hate the taste of unmentholated cigarettes and just give up the habit.