The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out warning letters this week to retailers, both in the US and abroad, concerning the sale of 
flavored cigarettes. Flavored cigarettes have been illegal to sell in the United States since the passage of congressional bill H.R. 1108 also known as the “Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act”. This legislation was passed in an effort to curb underage smoking by prohibiting cigarettes with fruit or candy flavorings. Tobacco flavors and menthol flavors are still allowed to be sold to the public.
The warning letters were sent to retailers a year after the bill passed so that businesses would have enough time to get these products off their shelves in an economical manner. Internet companies were also sent warnings and international companies were warned that incoming shipments of flavored cigarettes will be confiscated at the border. Companies recieving these letters have 15 days to dispose of their products.
The ruling from H.R. 1108 is very specific and reads as follows:
Section 907.(a)(1) “SPECIAL RULE FOR CIGARETTES.—A cigarette or any of its component parts (including the tobacco, filter, or paper) shall not contain, as a constituent (including a smoke constituent) or additive, an artificial or natural flavor (other than tobacco or menthol) or an herb or spice, including strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon, pineapple, vanilla, coconut, licorice, cocoa, chocolate, cherry, or coffee, that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco product or tobacco smoke.”
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act passed with bipartisan support. This bill gave the FDA more power to regulate the marketing and manufacturing of cigarettes. Before H.R. 1108, there was no federal authority to prevent tobacco companies from advertising to children. According to the American Lung Association, tobacco products kill over 438,000 Americans each year. “Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death, contributing to 6,921 deaths in Oregon in 2005. In addition, an estimated 800 deaths in Oregon are caused by secondhand smoke annually. Between one third and one half of kids who start smoking today will eventually die as a result of their addiction.” Pulling flavored cigarettes from the shelves is just one step in reversing this trend.
November 10, Examiner, by Sue Sierralupe
Tobacco is an annual or bi-annual growing 1-3 meters tall with large sticky leaves that contain nicotine. Native to the Americas, tobacco has a long history of use as a shamanic inebriant and stimulant. It is extremely popular and well-known for its addictive potential.
Nicotiana rustica leaves.
Nicotiana rustica leaves have a nicotine content as high as 9%, whereas Nicotiana tabacum (common tobacco) leaves contain about 1 to 3%
A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco which is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Sumatra, Philippines, and the Eastern United States.
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it may be in the form of cigarettes smoking, snuffing, chewing, dipping tobacco, or snus.
