Michael McDaniel is a native of Detroit and has performed to capacity crowds in various cities and states over the last decade. He is a comedian, actor, impressionist, and minister.
McDaniel is a community favorite and wants his supporters and other Black people to know that menthol has no place in or near them or their loved ones. Join him in the fight to “End Menthol.”
If you could state your case to smokers what would you say?
Black people join the “End Menthol” movement. Let’s save ourselves. Let’s save our lungs. Let’s save our health. Let’s be here for our children and set a better example of how to cope and … be better so we can level up and contribute to the next generation without our legacy being “Pop Pop died because he couldn’t stop smoking.” It’s time for us to stop.
What does it feel like when you have to walk through secondhand smoke?
It feels like walking through a burning house that someone invited you into and didn’t tell you the house was on fire. It’s a different type of smell. You can smell the chemicals in cigarette smoke and it affects you immediately if you’re a nonsmoker. So, children who are around that constantly don’t know the difference yet and they can’t detect it, but it affects them. I developed asthma in my teen years because of the smoke that I was exposed to during my youth.
How has menthol impacted people around you?
We all know someone who died from lung cancer. That list could be a lot shorter, going forward, if we just make some simple changes and acknowledge the enemy that’s at the corner store.
