FDA Tobacco Regulation Begins with Deception

The FDA Center for Tobacco Products persists in misleading the public. Its website (here) misrepresents the facts with the statement “…tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States.” 

CTP bureaucrats know that smoking, not tobacco, is a leading cause of death and disease.  But tobacco prohibitionists willfully obscure the scientific truth that smoke-free tobacco products are associated with minuscule health risks. When government employees use this tactic to influence public perception they defy the FDA mission and misuse taxpayer dollars.

An online search for the term “leading cause” in articles published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research over the past decade produces 456 articles.  Two hundred thirteen of those include a version of the FDA statement about leading cause of disease or death; some 40% misuse the terms “tobacco use” or “tobacco” for “smoking.” 

Health professionals do not tolerate such imprecision when writing or reporting on any other medical issue. 

The FDA claims that it will “use the full power of the law to protect consumers from the dangers of tobacco use.”  But if the agency purposefully conflates smoking and smoke-free tobacco use and continues to obscure and ignore the vast risk differences, who will protect consumers from the FDA?