Recently were announced primary steps taken by the Food and Drug Administration to control cigarette market and advertising. But a well-known public health figure states that the attempts are not enough and that the FDA could achieve unexpected changes by implementing its new power to decline the level of nicotine in cigarettes.

David A. Kessler, a former FDA representative, declared that the agency’s attempts to date are praiseworthy but “marginal” tacking into consideration what the agency has the legal authority to do, to lower nicotine levels till smoker no longer craves cigarettes. According to Kessler this step can save 200,000 to 300,000 lives per year.

The FDA refused to comment Kessler’s proposal, but a representative said that “one of the aims of the agency consists in promoting cessation thus reducing public health tobacco use.”

In the legislation, Congress enabled the FDA with significant new powers to limit the way tobacco can be sold and advertised, specifically toward children. A number of those conditions come into force next week, including prohibit on the use of such terms as “light,” “mild” and “low tar” in cigarette market, for example Camel Lights will be renamed to Camel Blue. Also tobacco manufacturers will no longer be capable to promote sporting or cultural events and can not sell tobacco products in vending machines, except in adult organizations.

The law also aims the FDA to investigate the role of menthol in cigarettes, and it summons for tobacco enterprises to paste up large and graphic health warnings on cig packs by 2012.

Although the new law averts the FDA from banning fags or lessening nicotine levels to zero, and it does permit the agency to reduce the levels of the drug. According to Kessler, the amount of nicotine in a cigarette should be lower from about 10 milligrams to less than 1 milligram.

The information about lessening nicotine was discussed for some time in public-health circles, handling that this step would create an illegal market for full-strength tobacco products, whereas others think that it might practically increase the number of smoking people as smokers puff away in order to absorb enough nicotine to satisfy their addiction.

According to William Phelps, a representative of the nation’s largest tobacco enterprise, Altria, more known as Philip Morris, in case the agency decides to control nicotine levels, they will work with the FDA to share their knowledge and views on this point.

Nicotine addictions are among the most hard to quit and are on equal terms with dependence on cocaine and heroin, agreeably to a 1988 report by the surgeon general. As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400,000 deaths per year are connected to tobacco use. And about 20 percent of the population smokes.

By Steve Shepherd, Staff Writer. Copyright © 2010 Cigarette-Store.org. All rights reserved.