The agency is asking stakeholders to comment on premium cigar usage and its impact on public health
By NACS Online
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its third notice on potential tobacco regulations in as many weeks. On March 26th, FDA released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) on the regulation of premium cigars. As part of its 2016 “deeming” rule, FDA expanded its definition of tobacco products to include premium cigars. To that end, FDA wants stakeholders to comment on how premium cigars are defined and used along with potential impacts they may have on the public’s health.
The March 26th notice follows an ANPRM from FDA on a possible tobacco standard on flavors—including menthol—that was released on March 21st. FDA is asking for public comments on the impact fruit and menthol flavors have on tobacco products’ usage. In the notice, the FDA said it “may consider restrictions on the sale and distribution of flavored tobacco products.”
FDA, under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (also called the Tobacco Act), regulates the manufacture, distribution and retail sales of tobacco products. Last July, FDA announced a comprehensive, multi-year tobacco and nicotine regulation plan to reduce tobacco related disease and death. An ANPRM is the first step in that long-term regulatory process.
As previously reported in the Daily, FDA also issued an ANPRM on the amount of nicotine in cigarettes on March 15th.
Comments on nicotine levels in tobacco, tobacco flavors, and premium cigars are due to FDA by June 14, 2018, June 19, 2018, and June 25, 2019, respectively.
