The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: This poster describes concerns about the proposed US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) legislation to regulate tobacco products

Methods: A critique of the proposed FDA bill is provided illustrating both positive and negative aspects of the proposed legislation.

Results: Meaningful tobacco product regulation is a positive goal, but the proposed FDA legislation is so complex with so many loopholes that it is unlikely to yield benefit to public health. Much of the legislation focuses on regulating new product introductions while excluding meaningful regulation of existing products (e.g., reduce nicotine levels in combustion tobacco products to non-addictive levels; eliminating filter vents and chemical addictives that reduce harshness). An alternative, simplified set of product regulations are offered as an alternative to the FDA legislation. These include: fixing the marketplace so no new tobacco products or product modification of existing brands can be introduced without government approval; banning filter vents and other product design features that make inhalation of smoke easier for smokers; mandating a reduction in nicotine delivery to non-addictive levels for combustion tobacco products; requiring packaging information that will educate consumers about product risks and benefits; and eliminating marketing strategies that provide incentives for consumers to continue to use combustion tobacco products.

Conclusion: The public's health would be better served by health groups rejecting the proposed FDA bill and instead advocated for the US to ratify and adopt the policy provisions in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.