Monthly Archives: July 2017
FDA Looking to Move Smokers Toward E-Cigarettes
July 31, 2017
The FDA is trying to reduce the nicotine levels in tobacco cigarettes in an effort to move smokers to e-cigarettes. Read more
U.S. proposes cigarette nicotine cut, shift toward e-cigarettes
July 31, 2017
Good news for e-cigarette users! U.S. looking to deal blow to big tobacco. Read more
FDA Looking to Move Smokers Toward E-Cigarettes
July 28, 2017
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration aims to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes while exploring measures to move smokers toward e-cigarettes, in a major regulatory shift announced on Friday that sent traditional cigarette company stocks plunging.
The move means FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has thrown his regulatory weight on the side of those advocating for e-cigarettes in the debate over whether they potentially hold some public health benefits.
Shares of major tobacco companies in the United States and UK slumped in heavy trading volume, with the world’s biggest producers poised to lose about $60 billion of market value.
The FDA’s move extends the timeline for applications for new e-cigarette clearance by the FDA to Aug. 8, 2022, giving e-cigarette companies more time to keep their products on the market before the agency goes into the process of final review. It also gives the FDA more time to set the proper framework for regulating e-cigarettes.
“It’s hard to overstate what this could mean for the companies affected: non-addictive levels of nicotine would likely mean a lot fewer smokers and of those people who do still light up, smoking a lot less,” said Neil Wilson, a senior market analyst with ETX Capital in London.
“This is just the U.S. regulator acting but we can easily see others, particularly in Europe, where regulatory pressures are already extremely high, following suit,” Wilson said.
British American Tobacco shares, trading close to all-time highs, fell as much as 11 percent and were on track for their biggest one-day loss in nearly 18 years.
Altria, which makes the Marlboro brand of cigarettes, fell as much as 16 percent, slipping into the red for the year.
FDA finally acknowledges what we have known all along!! Vape On!!
July 28, 2017
FDA aims to cut nicotine in cigarettes, shift toward e-cigarettes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes and move smokers toward potentially less harmful e-cigarettes, in a major regulatory shift announced on Friday that sent tobacco stocks plunging.
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb outlined a package of measures the agency plans to explore, embracing the idea that e-cigarettes may benefit public health by reducing smoking rates.
“Nicotine itself is not responsible for the cancer, the lung disease and heart disease that kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year,” he said. “It’s the other chemical compounds in tobacco and in the smoke created by setting tobacco on fire that directly cause illness and death.”
The FDA’s move to consider reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes sent shares of major tobacco companies in the United States and UK plummeting in heavy trading volume, with the world’s biggest producers poised to lose about $60 billion of market value.
The agency cannot reduce nicotine levels to zero, nor can it ban cigarettes, but Gottlieb said the FDA would study regulating nicotine levels in an attempt to make cigarettes less addictive.
The announcement sets in motion a lengthy rule-making process that will involve public comment and input from multiple stakeholders before any measures take effect.
Great article!