Correspondence

The FDA and Tobacco Regulation

N Engl J Med 2008; 359:2294November 20, 2008

Article

To the Editor:

The American Heart Association enthusiastically supports the editorial by Curfman et al. (Sept. 4 issue)1 on a bill that would grant authority to the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products. We believe that this legislation has several strengths; it would require full disclosure of the ingredients in tobacco products, reduce the burden of tobacco-related illnesses, and especially limit underage smoking. Each day, about 4000 people 12 to 17 years of age will try a cigarette for the first time, and an estimated 1140 persons in this age group become daily smokers.2 According to a U.S. Surgeon General's report, about 80% of people who use tobacco begin to do so before 18 years of age.3 A major curtailment of underage tobacco use may be the greatest potential public health benefit of this legislation. As the incoming president of the American Heart Association, I applaud the position of the Journal editors and join with them in expressing unequivocal support for this legislation.

Clyde Yancy, M.D.
American Heart Association, Dallas, TX 75231

3 References

1. 1

   Curfman GD, Morrissey S, Drazen JM. The FDA and tobacco regulation. N Engl J Med 2008;359:1056-1057
   Full Text | Web of Science | Medline

2. 2

   Office of Applied Studies. Results from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: national findings. NSDUH series H-30. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2006. (DHHS publication no. SMA 06-4194.)
   

3. 3

   National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health. Preventing tobacco use among young people. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1994.