The recent decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States continue a troubling pattern of weakening protections that many Americans fought for generations to secure. At a time when our nation should be strengthening democracy and ensuring every voice is heard, we are instead witnessing policies and rulings that disproportionately impact Black communities, low-income voters, and historically marginalized populations.
Voting rights are not simply political talking points. They are the foundation of representation, accountability, and justice. When barriers to voting increase, communities that already face systemic inequities are often the first to suffer. From restrictive voting laws to the erosion of key protections once guaranteed under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, these decisions send the wrong message about who deserves equal access to democracy.
At the same time, another dangerous trend is unfolding in public health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues approving flavored e-cigarette products despite growing concerns from health advocates, parents, educators, and community leaders. Products marketed in flavors like classic menthol, blueberry, mango, and candy-inspired varieties are not accidental innovations they are part of a long history of targeting youth and communities of color through flavored nicotine addiction.
For decades, tobacco companies aggressively marketed menthol cigarettes in Black neighborhoods, contributing to devastating health disparities, addiction, heart disease, cancer, and premature death. Now, many of these same tactics are being repackaged through e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches with sleek branding and appealing flavors designed to attract a new generation.
Approving these products under the banner of “harm reduction” ignores the lived reality in many communities. We cannot claim to care about public health while allowing corporations to continue profiting from addiction. Nor can we claim to defend democracy while dismantling the very protections that ensure every citizen has an equal voice.
These issues are deeply connected. Both voting rights and public health are matters of justice. Both determine whether communities have the power, resources, and protections needed to thrive. And in both cases, the communities most impacted are too often the same ones that have historically been excluded from decision-making and targeted for exploitation.
America should be moving toward greater equity, stronger protections, and healthier communities, not rolling back progress. We need leadership willing to stand up to corporate influence, protect voting access, and prioritize people over profit.
The future of our democracy and public health depends on it.
Charles Debnam is a member of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and immediate past chair of the DC Tobacco Free Coalition.
