BY: Lara Bryn

NEW YORK — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a groundbreaking plan to reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes to a minimally or nonaddictive level. Experts are comparing the potential impact of this change to the lifesaving introduction of seatbelts in cars.

Dr. Andrew Hyland, director of the New York State Quitline, described the FDA’s proposal as “mind-blowing.” He said, “Most people that are using cigarettes find it hard to quit and they don’t have that free choice. So, this would provide that free choice to people.”

Hyland emphasized that the move could save millions of lives and add tens of millions of healthy years to the American population. However, he acknowledged that some individuals might turn to alternatives not covered by the policy, such as vaping or smokeless tobacco products.

Dr. Johannes Thrul from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health noted that oral nicotine pouches, which are gaining popularity among youth, deliver nicotine efficiently. “At the same time, if these oral nicotine pouches reach predominantly established smokers, they could serve as harm reduction tools,” he said.

The proposal comes amid efforts to increase warnings on cigarette labels. Dr. Joanna Cohen, also from Johns Hopkins, said, “Reducing the use of this space for marketing is a powerful counter tactic in the effort to reduce the use of tobacco.”

Experts estimate it could take about two years for the FDA’s proposal to become law, if it proceeds. Hyland highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating, “490,000 deaths a year from smoking. It’s too much. And this will make a massive impact on that.”

SOURCE:  US food and Drug Administration