Durbin & Blumenthal Statement on FDA Tobacco Regulations
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement today in response to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) final deeming regulations on tobacco:
“Today’s release of the final tobacco deeming rule will help in the effort to protect a new generation from the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes, cigars, hookah, and other previously unregulated tobacco products. We commend the FDA for taking this long overdue action to bring much-needed oversight to more tobacco products, and lay the groundwork for future action on e-cigarettes. In particular, we are pleased the FDA heeded our calls to prevent retailers and manufacturers from making misleading or untrue health claims about these products.
“We are disappointed that the final rule does not protect young people from the despicable and insidious tactics this industry has used to lure young people into a lifetime of nicotine addiction. In the last several years, e-cigarette use has skyrocketed among middle school and high school students. Left unregulated, e-cigarette companies have used predatory tactics that are straight out of Big Tobacco’s old playbook, like marketing their products to children with colorful packaging and candy and fruit flavorings. It is also concerning that e-cigarettes and other tobacco products – including flavored products – may be allowed to remain on the market for another three years.
“It is clear that there will need to be strong enforcement of these new regulations, additional action to protect our youth from e-cigarettes, and ongoing scrutiny of the tobacco industry, in order to ensure that young people are truly protected from being led down a path to a dangerous and deadly addiction.”