Today is the deadline for the FDA to respond to a citizen’s petition submitted almost a decade ago regarding menthol in cigarettes. It has been requested that the agency ban the addition of menthol, which is a rather curiously specific change to make, to begin with. But the rationale for the request is apparently based on racial injustice. The claim being made is that the harmful effects of menthol are disproportionately hitting Black smokers, so the change is required for social justice reasons rather than simple health and safety precautions. If you’re scratching your head over that one, you’re not alone. (NBC News)

The Food and Drug Administration appears likely to move to ban menthol in cigarettes this week — a step, experts say, that has been years in the making and that could have a significant positive impact on the health of Black Americans, NBC News reports.

The FDA’s decision would not ban menthol immediately, but rather kick off the rule-making process to do so, which could take years.

The FDA faces a Thursday court-ordered deadline to respond to a 2013 citizen petition urging it to ban menthol as a flavor in cigarettes.