Ross Marchand, executive director of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, said U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd were correct to highlight specific trade barriers identified in a March letter to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
According to Marchand, "Sens. Tillis and Budd are right to call out import bans and other non-tariff barriers in countries like Argentina, Brazil, India, Turkey, and Vietnam that restrict access to FDA-authorized smoke-free nicotine products. These policies are not designed to protect public health, but to shield domestic cigarette manufacturers from competition at the expense of American producers and consumers."
Marchand also said, "Free trade without these barriers would lower prices and reduce illicit markets. Criminals win—and everyone else loses—when prohibition limits consumer choice. U.S. trade negotiators should push for the removal of these discriminatory practices."
In their letter, Tillis and Budd urged U.S. trade negotiators to address what they described as discriminatory practices imposed by several trading partners on tobacco and nicotine products. The senators wrote that such measures disadvantage U.S. manufacturers and tobacco growers and limit access to international markets.
The letter said that these policies often take the form of import bans on smoke-free nicotine products and are not designed to safeguard public health, but instead to protect domestic cigarette manufacturers. It also said the restrictions ignore scientific research and evaluations conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Tillis and Budd called on U.S. trade officials to prioritize the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers and seek recognition of FDA-authorized products in international markets including Argentina, Brazil, India, Turkey, and Vietnam.
TPA is a Washington-based nonprofit organization that advocates for lower taxes, limited government, and reduced federal spending.
More information can be found in the organization's press release.
