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Washington, D.C. – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a notice in the agency’s biannual regulatory agenda that seeks to limit the levels of nicotine in traditional cigarettes. In response, Tim Andrews, Americans for Tax Reform’s Director of Consumes Issues, released this statement.

“There is clear evidence showing this proposal will be damaging to public health. It will force smokers to smoke more and inhale deeper to get the nicotine they crave.”

“We know that nicotine does not cause damage to the health of smokers or those around them. The smoke, and the thousands of deadly chemicals in that smoke, is what kills hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. Less nicotine in cigarettes means more cigarettes will be smoked and more Americans will die. This decision is unconscionable.”

“This proposal will create a black market for cigarettes where international organized crime syndicates are poised to profit most. These criminals use their tobacco profits to traffic innocent women and children and fund terrorist groups. This policy will undoubtedly make America less safe.”

“This can also be expected to quickly increase the number of encounters between police and peaceful civilians. Black market tobacco products are untaxed, making possessing them a serious criminal offense in every state. This policy would criminalize products used by tens of millions of Americans, with potentially deadly consequences for those targeted by unjust policing.”

Andrews concluded by pointing to the evidence in favor of vaping; “Rather than target low-income smokers with asinine proposals to limit nicotine or ban menthol cigarettes, FDA should accept the science behind vaping and embrace tobacco harm reduction. Vape products contain the nicotine smokers crave but are at least 95% less harmful than combustible cigarettes. It’s time for FDA to pay attention to the evidence.”