Biden's FDA Proposes 0.70 mg Nicotine Cap in Cigarettes, Fate Hinges on Trump

Jan 15, 2025, 02:07 PM

The Biden administration has proposed a rule to significantly reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes and certain other combusted tobacco products to make them minimally or nonaddictive. The proposal, announced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), aims to set a maximum nicotine level of 0.70 milligrams per gram of tobacco. This move is intended to lower youth use, addiction, and death from smoking. FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf stated that the proposal could prevent 8.5 million tobacco-related deaths by 2100 and reduce the U.S. smoking rate to 1.4% by 2060. However, the implementation of this rule is uncertain as it comes in the final days of the Biden administration, leaving its fate in the hands of the incoming Trump administration. The FDA estimates that if implemented, the rule could help up to 13 million current smokers quit within a year and prevent 48 million young people from becoming addicted. The proposal will be open for public comment for 240 days. The proposal has been met with support from public health advocates but faces potential opposition from the tobacco industry.