FDA Lays Important Groundwork for Making Cigarettes Less Addictive

Statement of Harold P. Wimmer, National President and CEO of the American Lung Association, in response to the Food and Drug Administration's advance notice of proposed rulemaking on setting a tobacco product standard for nicotine level of combusted cigarettes:

"Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took an important step forward in its mandate to protect the public health from the death and disease caused by cigarettes. Reducing the addictiveness of these deadly products will make it easier for smokers to quit and harder for kids to become addicted. FDA’s notice includes a robust scientific justification, including estimates that reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes could save almost three million lives by 2060.

"While today's notice envisions a game-changing scenario, FDA must not limit its focus solely to cigarettes; FDA must reduce nicotine levels in all combusted tobacco products, including cigars. The Lung Association also recognizes that a failure to act to reduce the addictiveness and attractiveness of e-cigarettes will continue to put the health of our nation's youth at risk.

"The American Lung Association looks forward to submitting comments in response to this notice and urges FDA and the Administration to move forward without delay."