Smoking in United States of America
In the United States of America, smoking is allowed but tobacco products should follow some regulations. Under these regulations, health warnings on tobacco packaging including cigarettes are mandatory, the minimum legal age for their sales is 21 years, and there are no federal legal restrictions on smoking in public places. While tobacco advertising is regulated, not all forms of their advertising are banned. An excise tax of 32.16% with a total taxation rate of 37.36% is applied on cigarettes. Cigarettes can legally be sold with authorised documents. They may also be purchased through vending machines as well as through online channels. Importing cigarettes for trade is allowed with an appropriate import license. Despite these control measures, prevalence data show that smoking remains an important public health issue in the United States. There were 39.8 million current smokers in the country in 2024. This represents an overall adult smoking prevalence of 14.1%, with higher prevalence among men (17.1%) than among women (11.1%). In comparison, the overall current smoking prevalence was 12.3% in 2022. The adult daily smoking prevalence was recorded to be 10.01% in 2020. Smoking-related mortality also remains significant in the country. In 2021, smoking resulted in 360,370 deaths, including 216,986 male deaths and 143,383 female deaths. This shows that smoking accounted for 10.38% of all deaths in the United States in 2021, with a higher rate among men (11.9%) than among women (8.7%).
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January 26, 2023 by cnn.com
US tobacco control in 2022 gets a mixed review from the American Lung Association
Although fewer US adults are smoking cigarettes than ever, smoking remains the cause of the most preventable disability and death, and the nation’s smoking regulations are getting mixed grades from the American Lung Association.
The association’s annual State of Tobacco Control report, published Wednesday, gives the federal government an A grade for its media campaigns that encourage people to quit smoking or vaping, or to avoid starting in the first place.
January 26, 2023 by reuters.com
Juul in deal talks with three tobacco giants - WSJ
E-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc is in early talks with three tobacco giants for a potential sale, strategic investment, licensing or distribution deal, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Juul, which was reportedly looking to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, has had separate discussions with Philip Morris International Inc (PM.N), Japan Tobacco Group (2914.T) and Altria Group Inc (MO.N), the report said.
A deal is not imminent and the discussions may not result in a sale or partnership, the people told the Journal.
January 25, 2023 by filtermag.org
Appeals Court Reignites Triton Case Against FDA, Key to Flavored Vapes
On January 19, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered that the cases of Triton and Vapetasia, two US-based vapor companies that filed petitions for review against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), be reheard en banc. The move negates a previous 2-1 decision that sided with the agency. The FDA had previously issued marketing denial orders (MDOs) to Triton, a manufacturer of a variety of vaping products, and Vapetasia, an e-liquid brand.
January 24, 2023 by cnn.com
FDA rejects two menthol Vuse e-cigarette products
The US Food and Drug Administration issued marketing denial orders for two menthol e-cigarette products marketed by R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company. The agency said Tuesday that Vuse Vibe Tank Menthol 3.0% and the Vuse Ciro Cartridge Menthol 1.5% should not be marketed or distributed.
“The applications for these products did not present sufficient scientific evidence to show that the potential benefit to adult smokers outweighs the risks of youth initiation and use,” Dr. Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products said in an agency news release.
January 20, 2023 by regulatorwatch.com
Breakdown | Assessing the War on Vaping | RegWatch
Could the war on vaping in the U.S. finally take a turn in favor of tobacco harm reduction? It’s a legitimate question even though the cause has suffered major losses, such as the California flavor ban.
Joining us today to help answer this question is Dimitris Agrafiotis, a.k.a. the VapinGreek.
He’s a global advocate for vaping, former executive director of the Tennessee Smoke Free Association, and one of the most well-known advocates in the world of vaping.
January 13, 2023 by filtermag.org
Johns Hopkins Call for Nicotine “Common Language” Falls Flat
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has just published a video, featuring Johanna Cohen, the Bloomberg professor of disease prevention and the director of the school’s Institute for Global Tobacco Control, calling for a “common language” in tobacco control.
“With the introduction and marketing of new nicotine products, it’s not only the marketplace that has diversified,” Cohen says in the video. “The number of terms used to describe these products has expanded significantly as well. Often with word choice that serves tobacco industry interests.”
January 13, 2023 by nytimes.com
R.J. Reynolds Pivots to New Cigarette Pitches as Flavor Ban Takes Effect
R.J. Reynolds has wasted no time since California’s ban on flavored tobacco went into effect in late December. “California, We’ve Got You Covered,” the company declared in bold letters on a flier mailed to its cigarette customers.
The law prohibits flavors, odors or “tastes” in tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. But antismoking experts argue that R.J. Reynolds, the maker of Camel and Newport brands, is trying to circumvent the ban by luring smokers with a suite of what it says are new non-menthol versions offering “a taste that satisfies the senses” and “a new fresh twist.”
January 11, 2023 by local10.com
Miami Beach police officers may now arrest repeat cigarette smokers on the beach
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The new year started in Miami Beach with a ban on cigarette smoking on the beach and at public parks after most city commissioners voted in support of it.
It’s a measure that Dave Dobler, of the Volunteer Cleanup nonprofit organization, and other local environmental activists advocated for and celebrated.
“Cigarette butts are the number one most littered item on beach cleanups and we find thousands and thousands and thousands of them,” said Dobler, an avid kayaker.
Police officers will be able to arrest repeat offenders at their discretion. The maximum punishment is a $500 fine and 60 days in jail.
January 09, 2023 by filtermag.org
FDA Leaders’ Smoking Cessation “Care Package” Article Draws Fire
At the end of December, Robert Califf, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Brian King, the director of the agency’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), published an op-ed outlining a new framework to maximize smoking cessation.
In the piece, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the authors argue for a so-called smoking cessation “care package.” This includes encouraging health systems to provide social and clinical support, offering medication and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and moving forward on plans to ban menthol combustibles and lower the nicotine levels in cigarettes.
January 05, 2023 by thehill.com
Biden’s expected nicotine rule brings failed 1920s Prohibition to 2023
When it comes to public health, we should follow the facts and science, as opposed to political posturing. If history has taught us anything, it’s that prohibition is rarely the answer when addressing a public health problem. Outright bans of products tend to produce the opposite result of their intent, spurring more product consumption and fueling unregulated black markets. Unfortunately, this is the approach the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking when it comes to adults over 21 consuming tobacco products.