ACPM acts as tobacco companies aim to block warning labels

ACPM has joined with the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and other partner organizations in submitting comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opposing a Citizen Petition filed by the tobacco industry. The petition seeks a rulemaking proceeding to change the warnings mandated by the Tobacco Control Act (TCA) for smokeless tobacco.

In its petition tobacco companies argue that one of the current warnings, "This product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes,” is misleading because it implies that smokeless tobacco products are just as dangerous as cigarettes, contrary to the scientific evidence. Tobacco companies seek to replace the current warning statement with, "No tobacco product is safe, but this product presents substantially lower risks to health than cigarettes.”

The ACPM comments emphasize that the current statutory warnings on smokeless products are not misleading and entirely supported by the scientific evidence. The comments further state that the statutory language giving FDA the authority to alter the smokeless warnings does not support the tobacco industry’s effort to convert the warnings into a claim of modified risk.

To view the comments please visit, http://bit.ly/ZuVkkm.