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The proposal, which could come as soon as Monday, is not expected to include tobacco products such as e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement patches and lozenges.
“It’s a hell of a jump from the Biden administration to move forward with a meaningful proposal, or at least jump into the administration’s waning days,” said Erica Sward, assistant vice president of national advocacy for the American Lung Association. It’s mine.” .
While it is Toxic substances released from combustible tobacco that cause chronic diseases. And death is associated with smoking, it’s nicotine. That first gets people hooked, and then keeps them coming back.
Exactly Details of the recommendation to limit nicotine levels has not been released. However, several studies have suggested Levels may need to be reduced by up to 95% To make them minimal or non-addictive.
“This would be a historic action by the FDA that has the potential to have a profound impact on public health,” said Dr. Rose Marie Robertson, chief science and medical officer of the American Heart Association.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionmore than 480,000 people die each year.
Almost all smokers started as teenagers. Sword said that making cigarettes less addictive would save millions of lives.
Oh 2018 study The Food and Drug Administration estimates that 16 million fewer people will become addicted to cigarettes by 2060 as a result of the nicotine cap. The study estimates that number will rise to 33.1 million by 2100.
If the Biden administration issues the proposed rule next week, it could take several years to become final.
Yolonda C. Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement to NBC News that limiting nicotine in cigarettes would be a “game changer.” “Few measures will do more to fight chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease that take a heavy toll on health in the United States and that the incoming administration has indicated should be a priority to address.”
It was during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term that the FDA — which has authority to regulate tobacco — first publicly discussed plans to limit nicotine levels.
In 2017, Then-FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb Set the wheels in motion by unveiling a “comprehensive plan” that “includes the idea of regulating nicotine in e-cigarettes and making them minimal or non-addictive.”
This was intended, in part, to steer adult smokers to non-combustible products such as e-cigarettes. The 2017 plan also included the possibility of regulating e-cigarette flavors and banning menthol products. Oh Federal ban on most flavors In effect in 2020, however, Menthol remains on the market..
In an interview this week, Gottlieb said tackling smoking rates has to be “at the top of the agenda” in any effort to improve public health and reduce chronic disease.
“There is probably no more impactful work than dramatically reducing the smoking rate in this country,” he said.