The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a groundbreaking proposal to drastically reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes, aiming to curb addiction and encourage smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives or quit altogether.
The proposed rule, unveiled on Wednesday, would require tobacco companies to slash nicotine levels in cigarettes to a mere 0.7 milligrams per gram of tobacco, a significant reduction from the current average of 17.2 milligrams.
“If there is a goal to Make America Healthy Again, I can’t imagine anything more important to get done than this,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told reporters.
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The FDA believes this measure could have significant public health benefits, potentially leading to a dramatic reduction in smoking-related illnesses and deaths.
The agency hopes the rule will encourage the nearly 12% of Americans who still smoke combustible tobacco products to transition to less harmful options like vaping or nicotine lozenges, or to quit altogether.
While vaping rates have risen in recent years, they remain lower than traditional cigarette smoking rates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 6% of adults use e-cigarettes.
The FDA also aims to reduce the number of young people who start smoking traditional cigarettes. The agency acknowledges that the rule may lead to some illegal imports of high-nicotine cigarettes but believes the overall benefits will outweigh the potential for illicit trade.
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The FDA clarified that it is not seeking to ban cigarettes or other tobacco products outright. The proposed rule would give cigarette manufacturers two years to comply once finalized.
This measure was first floated during the previous administration, with the then-head of the FDA calling it “one of the most important actions I could take to advance public health.” It will now be up to the returning administration to decide whether and how to finalize the rule.
This bold proposal has the potential to reshape the tobacco landscape and significantly impact public health in the United States. It is expected to face opposition from tobacco companies, but the FDA remains steadfast in its commitment to reducing the harms of tobacco use.
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