This tracker provides information about the actions of federal agencies, such as the FDA and the USDA, on public health issues within the focus areas of the Center.

Displaying 1 - 18 of 18

Tobacco Product Standard for Characterizing Flavors in Cigars

On April 28, 2022, the FDA proposed a rule to ban flavors in cigars. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) follows a collection of information in 2018 that did not include a proposal to act. Members of the public health community had until August 2, 2022, to submit comments to the FDA.

Prohibit Menthol as a Characterizing Flavoring of Cigarettes and Cigarette Smoke

In 2013, The Public Health Law Center filed a Citizen Petition to the FDA, requesting that the agency add menthol to the list of prohibited flavors in cigarettes. Menthol had been exempted from the product standard established in the Tobacco Control Act but the FDA was given the power to prohibit menthol. In the absence of prompt FDA action, the Public Health Law Center and its partners filed the Citizen Petition advocating for the exemption to be removed.

Request for Information (RFI): 2022 HHS Environmental Justice Strategy and Implementation Plan Draft Outline

On April 8, 2022, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—the parent agency of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates tobacco products—issued a Request for Information (RFI) on its Draft Outline to further develop the agency’s 2022 Environmental Justice Strategy and Implementation Plan (EJ Plan). The EJ Plan will serve as a guide to confront environmental and health disparities and implement a strategy to serve vulnerable populations and communities disproportionately impacted by environmental burdens.

Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents in Tobacco Products and Tobacco Smoke

In 2012, the FDA issued an established list of harmful and potentially harmful constituents to tobacco products. A proposed amendment to the original notice adding additional constituents to the proposed list, primarily reflecting upon those constituents to e-liquids, electronic cigarettes, and other novel tobacco products, was issued in 2019.

Tobacco Product Standard for Nicotine Level of Combusted Cigarettes

In 2018 the FDA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding setting a maximum limit on permissible nicotine levels in some or all tobacco products. Preliminary research suggested a lower nicotine ceiling could make initiation to tobacco products less likely and cessation easier, especially for youth and young adults.

Regulation of Flavors in Tobacco Products

In 2018, the FDA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding the regulation and restriction of flavored tobacco products. The ANPRM sought information and comments on 1) whether and how flavors attracted youth to initiate tobacco product use, and 2) whether and how flavors may help adult consumers reduce cigarette use and "switch to potentially less harmful" products.

Regulation of Premium Cigars

The FDA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) in 2018, regarding the proposed regulation on premium cigars. FDA had deemed premium cigars within the scope of its regulatory authority for tobacco products in 2016, and thereby sought additional comments and research input pertinent to 1) the definition for premium cigars, 2) use patterns for premium cigars, and 3) public health considerations specific to, or otherwise pertinent to, premium cigars.

Premarket Tobacco Applications and Recordkeeping Requirements

In 2019, the FDA proposed a rule that would set forth requirements for premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) and would require manufacturers to maintain records establishing that their tobacco products are legally marketed. The objective of this rule is to provide FDA with sufficient information to make a determination on a preliminary PMTA for further, more substantive review or not.

Menthol in Cigarettes, Tobacco Products: Request for Comments

The FDA issued an ANPRM seeking feedback on potential regulation of menthol cigarettes. Under its statutory authority, FDA is empowered to regulate, and restrict, the sale of tobacco products if the agency determines that such a regulation is appropriate for the protection of public health.