FDA’s measure to address nicotine addiction

Why in news?

The ‘U.S. Food and Drug Administration’-FDA has proposed to reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes to non-addictive levels.

What is nicotine?

Nicotine is an extremely addictive substance that is present in cigarettes.
It does not directly cause cancers and other diseases.
But by keeping smokers addicted for the long term it exposes them to nearly 7,000 harmful chemicals every time they smoke.

What is the significance of the proposal?

This is a new dimension towards addressing addiction & reducing cancer.
It may reduce the likelihood of new users (those in the 15-24 age group) getting addicted to cigarettes.
It increases the chances of habitual smokers being able to quit.

What are the other popular smoking control measures?

E-cigarettes are considered an alternative to help smokers quit the habit.
A significant increase in the quitting rate among smokers has been seen with e-cigarette use.
FDA has made selling e-cigarettes to children illegal to effectively address the growing concern about children smoking them.
But the current FDA’s proposal doesn’t seek to regulate nicotine in e-cigarettes.

What is the scenario in India?

India has followed most of the measures mentioned in the ‘WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control guidelines.
Unlike the U.S, India had banned tobacco advertisements long ago.
It introduced pictorial warnings covering 85% of the front and back of packages of tobacco products.
It has also prohibited the use of positive descriptions like mild, flavoured on labels.
The number of tobacco users reduced by more than eight million between 2010 and 2016.
Legal prohibition of the sale of e-cigarettes to minors has not been done yet.

What lies ahead?

There is the possibility that tobacco companies will aggressively target developing countries.
It is important for the Indian government to remain resolute in not losing the gains made in the last few years.

Source: The Hindu