In a surprising decision at the end of 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a new tobacco company, 22nd Century Group, the right to market its very low nicotine cigarettes—VLN King and VLN Menthol King—as modified risk tobacco products (MRTPs).
This is a short-sighted move that may do more harm than good, because limiting nicotine is not a way to reduce the harm from a combustible cigarette.
Many seem to believe that VLN cigarettes are detoxified and can be smoked without consequence. That is simply not true. With this authorization, though, 22nd Century Group can make specific marketing claims about its products—a VLN King or VLN Menthol King contains “95 percent less nicotine,” for example, “greatly reduces your nicotine” and “helps reduce your nicotine consumption.”
To a casual observer, the MRTP process may look identical to the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway that vapor manufacturers have had to go through in recent years.
Martin Cullip – Filter – 2022-06-14.
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