Foreign report: The largest anti-smoking measure in the history of the United States: nicotine content will be cut by 80%

Foreign report: The largest anti-smoking measure in the history of the United States: nicotine content will be cut by 80% March 16th (Xinhua) The US "World Journal" article stated that US federal health officials 1...

March 16th The US "World Journal" article stated that US federal health officials launched an unprecedented major anti-smoking initiative on the 15th: they will set standards and significantly reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes to help smokers quit smoking and prevent young people from becoming addicted to smoking.

The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a relevant draft last summer and announced new details and potential impacts of nicotine restrictions on the 15th. In the past, the government did not set limits on the nicotine content in tobacco. Now the FDA can regulate the nicotine content in accordance with the law and reduce it by up to 80%.

The FDA estimates that currently 15% of the adult population in the United States smokes, which may drop to 1.4% before 2060. Within a year of the new restrictions, 5 million people are expected to quit smoking.

Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA Tobacco Center, said that "limiting nicotine" can help future generations of children avoid trying smoking and leading to fatal addiction.

The focus of the FDA proposal is that nicotine is addictive but not fatal. However, the burning tobacco and other substances inhaled while smoking can cause cancer, heart disease, and bronchitis. Decades of anti-smoking measures have driven smoking rates to new lows, but more than 480,000 people still die from smoking every year.

Low-nicotine cigarettes are not a new concept. Several companies, including Philip Morris, tried to sell low-nicotine cigarettes in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s, with less than successful results.

>The FDA was authorized to regulate the ingredients of cigarettes and other tobacco products in 2009, but the FDA continues to face legal challenges and obstacles from large tobacco companies.

Tobacco industry analysts believe that it may take the FDA at least four years to implement any changes due to the complex risks involved.

The FDA obtained e-cigarette authorization in 2016, but the deadline for manufacturers to submit product reviews has been extended to 2022. It's unclear whether e-cigarettes can help addicts quit smoking.