FDA seeks to limit nicotine in cigarettes and cigars. What to know

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday unveiled a proposed rule that would make tobacco companies slash nicotine levels in cigarettes, most cigars and other combustible tobacco products sold nationwide.

The proposed rule doesn’t ban nicotine but lowers the amount allowed in cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco and most cigars to 0.7 milligrams per gram of tobacco − a smaller amount than what’s on the market today and potentially low enough to prevent addiction.

But the nicotine limit doesn’t apply to vaping products, nicotine pouches such as Zyn, hookahs, or premium cigars.

The public can comment on the proposed rule through Sept. 15, which the agency will consider before the next steps, including enacting the nicotine limit. That means the nicotine rule would be administered under President-elect Donald Trump, who has nominated Johns Hopkins surgeon Marty Makary to lead the agency that regulates drugs, devices, food and tobacco.

The reduction was first proposed under Trump’s earlier administration by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.

The FDA said the rule aims to prevent underage smoking and help adults transition from smoking to lower-risk alternatives that would reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. However, the agency said no tobacco product is safe and urged children and adults to avoid tobacco products altogether.

“This proposal allows for the start of an important conversation about how we meaningfully tackle one of the deadliest consumer products in history and profoundly change the landscape of tobacco product use in the United States,” Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said in a statement.

The FDA said the level is low enough to prevent addiction and that research shows smokers will not compensate for the low levels by smoking more.

Anti-tobacco groups applauded the FDA’s proposed nicotine limit but also said the nicotine limit doesn’t go far enough.

The American Lung Association’s President and CEO Harold Wimmer said children are attracted to tobacco products due to flavors and tobacco industry marketing, but he said they become addicted because of nicotine.

“Making tobacco products nonaddictive would dramatically reduce the number of young people who become hooked when they are experimenting,” Wimmer said. However, to fully address the toll of tobacco on our nation’s health and across all communities, we urge FDA to reduce nicotine levels to nonaddictive levels in all tobacco products, including all cigars, hookah and e-cigarettes.”