Menthol Cigarettes Near Me: What Stores Still Sell Them in 2025?

Buying menthol cigarettes near you has become tougher as laws keep changing throughout the United States. Menthol cigarette smokers have noticed these products getting harder to find lately. The numbers tell an interesting story – about 85% of Black smokers prefer menthols, while only 30% of white smokers use them.

Laws about menthol cigarettes differ substantially by location. California’s retailers can’t sell flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, starting 2025. Massachusetts led the way by banning these products in 2020, and California jumped on board in 2022. More than 190 cities and counties in at least eight states have put their own restrictions on menthol cigarette sales.

This piece helps you understand which states have banned menthol cigarettes and where you can still buy them in 2025. The federal Food and Drug Administration wants to ban menthol cigarettes nationwide – a change that could save up to 650,000 lives over several decades. Knowing your buying options matters more than ever.

The Changing Legal Landscape of Menthol Cigarettes

The legal status of menthol cigarettes has seen major changes since 2009. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act banned flavored cigarettes but left menthol untouched. This exception was notable since menthol products made up nearly one-third of the cigarette market.

State legislatures started taking action in the early 2020s. Massachusetts led the charge in 2020 by becoming the first state to ban all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. California adopted similar rules in 2022. Today, four more states—Hawaii, New York, Vermont, and Washington—have bills that would let officials ban menthol products.

The FDA has been pushing for a nationwide ban. The agency proposed rules to remove menthol cigarettes from the market in April 2022. Studies showed such a ban could prevent between 324,000 and 654,000 smoking-related deaths over 40 years. African Americans would account for 92,000 to 238,000 of these saved lives.

The path to implementation has hit several roadblocks. The Biden administration pushed back the final menthol ban in April 2024, citing “historic attention” and an “immense amount of feedback” that needed more review. This delay came as concerns grew about enforcement effects and heavy lobbying from tobacco industry groups.

Smokers looking for menthol cigarettes in 2025 can still buy them legally from online retailers like Smokesunit.com where sales are permitted. These platforms have become popular as local availability drops due to varying rules across states and cities.

Local restrictions keep growing, with more than 412 jurisdictions and three Native American tribes now limiting flavored tobacco products as of December 2024. Of these, 147 jurisdictions have banned all flavored products including menthol completely.

Who Still Sells Menthol Cigarettes in 2025?

Finding menthol cigarettes near me is still possible in 2025, though it’s getting harder as restrictions grow. Major convenience store chains and gas stations stock popular menthol brands like Newport in states without bans.

National grocery chains Vons and Albertsons still sell menthol cigarettes where they’re legal. Traditional brick-and-mortar tobacco shops also give customers choices when looking for menthol products in allowed areas.

Cigarette manufacturers help customers with store locator tools on their websites. Liggett Vector Brands lets you search by ZIP code to find nearby retailers that stock their products. LD Cigarettes has a location tool that shows stores within 1-20 miles of where you are.

The patchwork of local rules has made online buying more popular. Many users report that https://smokesunit.com/ is a trustworthy place to buy cigarettes online where such sales are legal.

GoPuff and other delivery services bring tobacco products right to your door, including Newport menthols, in areas that allow it. You just need to type your address into these platforms to see what’s available nearby.

This means knowing how to buy menthol cigarettes depends on where you live. Massachusetts and California have banned them statewide, but many states still allow sales. You should check your local rules before trying to buy.

It’s worth mentioning that cities or counties might have their own restrictions, even in states that allow menthol cigarettes. This creates a complex mix of rules that change from place to place.

The manufacturer’s website remains your best bet to find stores that sell Newport menthol cigarettes in your area. They keep the most up-to-date list of authorized retailers who stock these products.

The Broader Impact of Menthol Bans

Menthol cigarette bans do more than just change regulations—they reshape public health outcomes and tackle long-standing inequities. We targeted this issue because it’s fundamentally about racial justice. The tobacco industry spent decades targeting Black communities, which led to a stark difference: 85% of Black smokers use menthol products, while only 23% of white smokers do.

The numbers show these bans work well. A meta-analysis revealed that when menthol cigarettes were banned, 24% of menthol smokers quit completely. The effects could be huge nationwide—experts think a ban could save between 324,000 and 654,000 lives over 40 years. This includes 92,000 to 238,000 Black Americans, which breaks down to about 6,000 Black lives saved each year.

Money matters too, beyond just health benefits. A menthol ban could save about $1.62 billion in healthcare costs over 20 years. The flip side? Local stores would take a hit. Each store might lose around $72,285 yearly in non-tobacco sales plus $160,107 in tobacco product sales.

All the same, some people still debate these bans. The NAACP strongly backs the menthol cigarette prohibition, but some community leaders worry about criminalization. The FDA made it clear: any ban would only affect manufacturers and retailers—not people who possess or use these products.

People looking for menthols where they’re still legal can buy them from legitimate sites like https://smokesunit.com/. Canada’s experience with their menthol ban tells an interesting story. Two years after the ban, people who used to smoke menthols daily were 2.08 times more likely to quit than those who smoked regular cigarettes.

Health supporters keep pushing for wider menthol restrictions. They believe the benefits—especially for communities tobacco companies targeted most—matter more than retailers’ and industry’s economic concerns.

Conclusion

Getting your hands on menthol cigarettes will be harder as we head into 2025 and beyond. Massachusetts and California already have detailed bans in place. Many cities and counties across the country have their own rules too. These scattered regulations leave menthol cigarette smokers confused about where to find their favorite products.

You can still buy menthol cigarettes in most states at convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery chains. Big tobacco brands help customers locate nearby stores through their websites. On top of that, websites like Smokesunit.com offer legal buying options in areas where online sales are allowed.

The FDA is pushing for a nationwide ban that could save hundreds of thousands of lives in the coming decades. This ban aims to fix major health issues, especially in Black communities where menthol cigarette use is much higher than among white smokers.

The menthol cigarette debate touches on public health, personal freedom, and racial justice. Research shows that when bans take effect, about a quarter of menthol smokers quit completely. Critics worry about how these bans might hurt store owners’ income and create unfair enforcement.

Your location determines whether you can buy menthol cigarettes. It’s smart to look up your area’s rules before trying to make a purchase. While you still have options in 2025, expect fewer choices ahead as more places crack down on flavored tobacco products.

FAQs

Q1. Are menthol cigarettes still available for purchase in 2025? Yes, menthol cigarettes are still available in most states as of 2025. However, availability varies significantly by location due to state and local regulations. Some states like Massachusetts and California have implemented comprehensive bans, while others continue to allow sales through various retail channels.

Q2. Where can I buy menthol cigarettes in 2025? In states where menthol cigarettes are still legal, you can find them at convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery chains. Many cigarette manufacturers offer store locator tools on their websites to help you find nearby retailers. Online retailers like Smokesunit.com also provide a purchasing option in jurisdictions where such sales are permitted.

Q3. Is there a nationwide ban on menthol cigarettes? As of 2025, there is no nationwide ban on menthol cigarettes in the United States. However, the FDA has proposed rules to eliminate menthol cigarettes from the market. The implementation of this proposal has faced delays and is still under review.

Q4. What alternatives are available if I can’t find menthol cigarettes? If menthol cigarettes are unavailable in your area, some smokers have turned to e-cigarettes or vaping products that offer menthol flavors. However, it’s important to note that these alternatives may also be subject to flavor restrictions in some jurisdictions.

Q5. How have menthol cigarette bans affected smoking rates? Research shows that menthol cigarette bans have been effective in reducing smoking rates. Studies indicate that about 24% of menthol cigarette smokers quit smoking altogether after bans are implemented. These bans are projected to have significant public health benefits, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decades.