Press Release Public Health Groups File Petitions Urging FDA to Regulate New "Reduced Risk" Products Being Marketed to Smokers as Healthier Alternative December 18, 2001 The Low-Tar Lie Is history repeating itself? Read about the recent government study detailing the way the tobacco industry marketed the last generation of "reduced risk" products and how "light" and "low-tar" cigarettes have been proven over time to be of no public health benefit. Eclipse Cigarettes A Campaign special report FDA Authority Over Tobacco A Campaign special report

here has been a rash of new products containing nicotine being rushed to the marketplace in recent months without the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While the FDA is required to approve new nicotine products sold to help smokers quit like the nicotine patch, these products have circumvented FDA regulation.

On December 18, 2001 the nation’s major public health organizations today jointly submitted petitions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging it to regulate five products currently being marketed to users of traditional tobacco products as a safer, healthier way to consume tobacco or nicotine or both. Among the groups submitting the petitions are the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Legacy Foundation, American Lung Association, American Medical Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

The petitions argue that the FDA already has authority under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to regulate the so-called “reduced risk” products that are the subjects of the petitions as drugs, drug delivery devices or food products. The petitions ask the FDA to prohibit sales of these products until the manufacturers comply with the law and submit each product for FDA approval.

The petitions concern these five products (click to read petitions):