AHA stands behind the FDA's latest tobacco rule. | Courtesy of Morguefile
+ Regulatory
Amanda Rupp | Jun 10, 2016

AHA applauds FDA's new tobacco rule

The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released a statement that celebrates the final tobacco deeming rule from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Thanks to the new rule, the FDA has the authority to fully regulate and manage tobacco products within the U.S. These products include cigars, e-cigarettes and hookahs.

“At last, Americans can breathe a sigh of relief now that all tobacco products have the federal oversight they’ve needed for a very long time,” Nancy Brown, CEO of the AHA, said. “The American Heart Association has strongly advocated for across-the-board FDA regulation, and we applaud the FDA for issuing the final deeming rule that will do just that.”

In the view of health professionals, there is no difference between tobacco products in terms of health consequences.

“All tobacco products present risk,” Brown said. “That’s why it was absolutely necessary for the FDA to assert its authority over these products. We commend the FDA for taking this significant step to protect the cardiovascular health of Americans and prevent children from starting down a dangerous and addictive path.”

The FDA’s main concern is the rate of young people using tobacco.

“Keeping cigars, e-cigarettes and hookah out of the hands of young Americans should be a top priority for the agency now that the FDA’s jurisdiction has been extended,” Brown said. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that e-cigarette use among U.S. teens has tripled in just one year. Similarly, hookah use has roughly doubled in middle and high school students, and cigar use remains high; every day more teenage boys start using tobacco with a cigar for the first time rather than a cigarette. Now, thanks to this new rule, more potential tobacco users will hopefully be steered clear from taking that first puff during adolescence. Research and tobacco surveillance shows that effective regulation of tobacco products helps reduce tobacco use in both youths and adults.”

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