The US Food and Drug Administration is proposing limitations on the amount of nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products, such as cigars and pipe tobacco, in order to reduce their addictiveness, the agency stated Wednesday.
“If finalised, the United States would be the first country globally to take such a bold, life-saving action to prevent and reduce smoking-related disease and death,” according to a statement released by the FDA.
Nicotine is very addictive, and studies show that a policy that reduces nicotine levels in goods would help many individuals quit or reduce their smoking. The majority of questioned smokers stated they regretted beginning and wanted to quit.
According to statistics, the majority of smokers began as children, despite the fact that the legal age to purchase tobacco was 18 for many years before being raised to 21 in 2019. Experts believe that lowering nicotine levels would reduce the likelihood of children developing a lifetime dependence.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in the statement that
“Today’s proposal envisions a future where it would be less likely for young people to use cigarettes and more individuals who currently smoke could quit or switch to less harmful products.
“This action, if finalised, could save many lives and dramatically reduce the burden of severe illness and disability, while also saving huge amounts of money”.
Nicotine levels would be capped at 0.7 milligrams per gram of tobacco in cigarettes, according to the proposal.
