The Food and Drug Administration said it wants to sharply reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes. The idea is to help wean millions of smokers off their deadly habit and prevent millions more from becoming regular smokers in the first place, according to NPR.
Image: NPR
NPR continues: “‘Despite years of aggressive efforts to tackle the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, tobacco use—largely cigarette smoking—still kills more than 480,000 Americans every single year,’ FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. 'Given their combination of toxicity, addictiveness, prevalence and effect on nonusers, it's clear that, to maximize the possible public health benefits of our regulation, we must focus our efforts on the death and disease caused by addiction to combustible cigarettes,’ he said.”
Matthew Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: ‘The announcement...is potentially the most significant public health step the Food and Drug Administration has taken in decades.’
“The FDA hasn't yet decided exactly how much it will cut nicotine or how quickly. But the goal is clear. In a Federal Register notice that is expected to be published Friday, the agency said it ‘is considering developing a proposed product standard to make cigarettes minimally addictive or nonaddictive by setting a maximum nicotine level.’”
Which groups welcomed the FDA’s move? Which groups were muted? Are there any negative outcomes that could arise from the announcement? Read more coverage at NPR.
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