Panel Requests More Data About Tobacco Lozenges
by Stephanie Gleason - The Wall Street Journal
A Food and Drug Administration panel Friday said it needs more information before making recommendations about the risks and potential marketing restrictions involving new flavored dissolvable tobacco lozenges.
Opponents of the lozenges say they look like candy and might be eaten by children, encourage nonsmokers to use tobacco, and are used by smokers in tandem with rather than instead of cigarettes.
The FDA advisory panel will make recommendations to the FDA after it meets again on tobacco lozenges in November. In March 2012 the FDA is expected to release a report on the safety, ...
Some see the product as an important alternative to cigarettes. Elaine Keller, representing the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association, said cigarette-smoking adults are able to switch to less hazardous alternatives when they can't stop using nicotine completely. Ms. Keller, in FDA testimony, said her group doesn't have ties to the tobacco industry.
If producers want to market their product as a "modified risk" to cigarettes, there is a separate application. Star Scientific has submitted two products for this consideration.
To make recommendations on these topics the panel asked for more information about the way another smokeless tobacco product, a powder in a pouch called snus, has been marketed. They also requested a better definition of dissolvable tobacco, and whether products like snus should be included.
At the member meeting this past Sunday night, the members decided to start a CASAA Facebook page called "We Are CASAA" to add to CASAA's presence on the social networking site and increase member involvement and communication.
Please join in on the conversation at: We Are CASAA | Facebook!
Recently there have been some member inquiries about CASAA's involvement with e-cigarette research.
In late 2010, CASAA's board of directors discussed CASAA's mission in relation to the current and future involvement in smokeless and e-cigarette research and studies and concluded that CASAA does not have the funding nor the staff to endorse, supervise and/or fund any ongoing research. At that time, the Board agreed to discontinue fundraising for research projects and instead continue to direct its efforts and funding toward the continued education of the public, media and legislators about tobacco harm reduction; provide public access to completed research and studies; and to continue the fight to keep smokeless alternatives available, effective and affordable.
To that end, CASAA forwarded any donations contributed by its members to the studies for which they were intended and voted not to do any more fundraising exclusively for research. Additionally, because CASAA has no first-hand involvement with any research or studies, we are unable to comment on the current progress, fundraising, validity or administration of any ongoing studies.
CASAA does and always will encourage the use of scientific and unbiased research to provide the public with the truth about the safety of e-cigarettes for both the user and bystanders!
