Biden's Democratic primary challenger Dean Phillips tears into 'absurd' menthol cigarette ban he says will infringe on American 'liberty' and 'freedom'

President Joe Biden's 2024 Democratic challenger Rep. Dean Phillips is tearing into nan administration's projected prohibition connected menthol cigarettes, calling it 'absurd.' 

In a caller power interview, Phillips was asked astir nan administration's push to prohibition menthol cigarettes, which is presently successful nan last reappraisal and support process. He called it 'one of nan awesome American debates.'

'Freedom and liberty mean nan world to me. I get concerned astir a authorities that tells its citizens what they tin and cannot do, particularly if it doesn't wounded different American citizen,' he told New Hampshire power big Drew Kline.  

He added: 'As it relates to banning definite flavors of tobacco, I deliberation that's absurd.' 

Phillips said it's akin to nan statement of nan national authorities forcing Americans to deterioration motorcycle helmets aliases seatbelts, which is 'not an easy answer.' 

The congressman went connected to opportunity that location should beryllium taxation argumentation and property restrictions to dissuade children from getting their hands connected flavored cigarettes.

A drawstring of caller polls uncover that President Biden's projected prohibition connected menthol cigarettes whitethorn person 'unintended consequences' for him astatine the ballot container successful 2024. Experts opportunity that nan prohibition will alienate his accepted guidelines and whitethorn moreover thrust votes to Republicans travel adjacent November.

Last week, Republican pollster and strategist Kellyanne Conway told DailyMail.com that Biden should beryllium prepared to 'face nan consequences' astatine nan ballot container if his management moves guardant pinch pushing a menthol cigaret ban.

She pointed to caller study results obtained by DailyMail.com that show complete six successful 10 voters nationwide work together that nan banning of menthol cigarettes will disproportionately harm number communities - and that includes 63 percent of Democrats.

In nan battleground states of Nevada and North Carolina successful particular, complete half of voters are discouraged from supporting immoderate menthol ban.

'The information shows that Biden's executive and regulatory actions are opposed by Blacks, Hispanics, young people, independents and suburban women – nan aforesaid demographics straying distant from him and upon whom he relied connected to triumph successful 2020,' Conway discovered. 

'At a clip erstwhile canvass aft canvass show Joe Biden is hemorrhaging voters successful his ain party, nan Biden White House is seeking to prohibition menthol cigarettes which arsenic our canvass found, would push non-whites and young voters further distant from Biden and person to Republicans,' Conway told DailyMail.com. 

In addition, according to findings from a study by Nuestro PAC, achromatic and Latino voters are worried that nan projected prohibition would 'push nan merchandise into nan forbidden achromatic market' and summation crime.

Eighty percent of achromatic and Latinos said they agreed that nan authorities should 'fully research concerns' earlier moving guardant pinch nan ban. 

Those findings align pinch a caller push by Rev. Al Sharpton urging management to locomotion backmost its projected prohibition - which is presently successful nan last stages of approval.

Sharpton wrote to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf earlier this month, saying nan prohibition will effect number communities and foster 'illicit markets and much constabulary interaction.'

In addition, rule enforcement officials antecedently told DailyMail.com that nan prohibition would lead to an summation successful achromatic marketplace trafficking, cartel and pack unit and unregulated cigarettes - which could beryllium laced pinch vulnerable drugs, including fentanyl. 

And it will effect number communities nan most, because menthols are smoked predominantly by achromatic and Latino communities - astatine complete 80 percent - said retired New York State Police serviceman Elliot Boyce.

The Biden management is besides catching power for pushing for nan menthol prohibition while moving to decriminalize marijuana.  

Over nan summer, Biden asked nan DEA to downgrade marijuana laws up of nan 2024 predetermination - contempt slamming cannabis arsenic a 'gateway drug' arsenic precocious arsenic 2019. 

Top Republican run operatives opportunity it will move voters distant from Biden. 

'Criminalizing menthol cigarettes while advocating for supplier decriminalization makes zero consciousness from a argumentation perspective,' said National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Jason Thielman. 

'From a governmental perspective, this rumor will almost surely accelerate working-class Black voters' move distant from nan Democratic Party. In cardinal plaything states for illustration Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Michigan, doing somewhat amended pinch working-class Black voters could make each nan difference,' he continued successful a connection to DailyMail.com.

The Biden management has maintained that nan criminalization of menthols would thief Americans go little addicted complete time. 

'The projected rules would thief forestall children from becoming nan adjacent procreation of smokers and thief big smokers quit,' HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra antecedently said.

'Additionally, nan projected rules correspond an important measurement to beforehand wellness equity by importantly reducing tobacco-related wellness disparities,' he continued.