A highly debated tobacco bill is currently pending in the United States Congress which might provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the needed power to regulate tobacco. Unfortunately, the bill targets all flavored tobacco and bans the use of all artificial or natural flavors in cigarettes leaving out the  menthol cigarettes issue, which at this point account for about 28% of the U.S.’s $70 billion market.

Trying to prove that the main focus is on the general public’s interest, Phillip Morris aka Altria (MO) announced the support of the bill, its huge menthol cigarette business being unthreatened by the bill’s amendments.

The menthol exception has drawn serious criticism as it is considered one of the tobacco companies’ main tools for attracting young smokers. The fresh taste of menthol manages, to a certain degree, to cover up the original cigarette smell and also ease the smoke inhalation, leaving the false impression that it might not be as unhealthy as the rest.

Also, according to some people, the bill’s selective demands undermine the health of African-Americans, as a recent survey has shown that nearly 75 percent of all African-American smokers buy menthol cigarettes. The same survey, conducted by the American Legacy Foundation, announced that 81 percent of teen African-American smokers use menthol cigarettes compared to the 32 percent of white teens and 45 percent of Hispanics.

The controversy on the issue is very likely to continue even after the decision will be officially made and at this point the sides keep gathering supporters to aid their cases.

The efforts in the past few years to counterbalance the cigarette sales have been bigger than ever, but still, apparently, cigarette smoking has a way of promoting itself as a distinguishable and dangerous activity with a powerful ‘cool’ factor that appeals to young people.