FDA bans cigarettes with candy or fruit flavoring

Washington The Food and Drug Administration has banned cigarettes with flavors characterizing fruit, candy or clove.

The FDA now has the authority to take such an action under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in June. While the measure does not give the agency authority to ban outright the sale of tobacco products, it does allow it to reduce nicotine levels, administer product safety tests and issue recalls, in addition to banning certain flavorings in cigarettes.

The ban on candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes, effective Sept. 22, highlights the importance of reducing the number of children who take up smoking, the FDA said. The agency is examining options for regulating both menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products as well.

"Almost 90% of adult smokers start smoking as teenagers," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, MD. "These flavored cigarettes are a gateway for many children and young adults to become regular smokers."

The FDA recently sent a letter to the tobacco industry providing information about the law, explaining that any company that continues to make, ship or sell such products may be subject to enforcement actions.

The American Medical Association cheered the enactment of the new tobacco measure earlier this year, and it supports this most recent action by the FDA.

"The earlier a person begins smoking, the more likely they are to become a lifelong smoker, and evidence shows that young smokers are the primary users of flavored tobacco products," said Rebecca J. Patchin, MD, chair of the AMA Board of Trustees. "The AMA has long-held policy against flavored tobacco and tobacco company marketing efforts that target children and young adults."