The White House may soon finalize a long-awaited ban on menthol cigarettes after pressure from special interest groups, with some saying the ban could negatively impact minority communities.

Menthol cigarettes account for nearly one-third of the industry’s market share in the U.S., meaning they are broadly popular with smokers. 

They have also long been particularly popular with black smokers, with 81 percent of them opting for the menthol varieties, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The minty flavoring that is added to these products typically appeals to young, first-time smokers, making them dangerous in the eyes of the White House, medical associations and civil rights groups.

But advocates against the…