Suche
Mein Konto
Public health and tobacco addiction experts widely approve of a recent move by the Biden administration to limit nicotine in cigarettes sold in the U.S. to "non-addictive" levels - but worry it could encourage some to smoke more than before.
The plan was unveiled by the White House on Tuesday as part of a larger effort to reduce tobacco use in the U.S. - particularly among teenagers and minorities - and reduce cancer deaths in the coming decades.
Experts tell DailyMail.com the move will likely prevent more people from becoming addicted to nicotine, although positive results may not be seen for years.
An expert warns that some highly addicted nicotine users will simply start smoking more cigarettes to get their fix, causing themselves more physical harm in the process.
Experts agree that bans to reduce the nicotine available in cigarettes can help reduce smoking, but are divided on bans on e-cigarettes
Dr. Michael Steinberg, the director of the Tobacco Dependence Program at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, told DailyMail.com that this move could be very effective.
“I think reducing the nicotine content in cigarettes to non-addictive levels may be the FDA's most effective policy since cigarettes came onto the market,” he said.
He said it was largely impossible to stop people from experimenting with cigarettes because a curious mind will always try things at least once.
Dr. Michael Steinberg (pictured), the director of the Tobacco Dependence Program at Rutgers, says this could be the FDA's most effective policy since cigarettes came onto the market
Significantly reducing the nicotine in each cigarette will result in the majority of people being put off a cigarette after using it just once and result in fewer long-term smokers.
“There is nothing inherently pleasant about inhaling smoke into your lungs,” he said.
Cigarettes contain two main ingredients, nicotine and tobacco. The former is highly addictive, says Steinberg, one of the most addictive legal substances.
Tobacco is not addictive without nicotine content, but its use can expose a person to all kinds of risks, including many types of cancer, lung and heart problems.
By removing the addictive content from cigarettes, there would be no reason for anyone to use them.
The reduction would also be significant, with Steinberg estimating that a cigarette maker might need to reduce the nicotine content in its products by about 90 percent to comply with regulations.
Dr. Michael Weaver, medical director of the Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addictions at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School in Houston, also agrees with the move.
'I think that's a good idea. Implementation will take a while and big tobacco companies will resist,” he said, anticipating a long legal battle in the future.
However, there are some concerns. These regulations are clearly aimed at non-smokers to prevent them from taking up the harmful habit.
Dr. Michael Weaver (pictured), medical director of the Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addictions at the University of Texas, says there is little evidence that e-cigarettes help reduce cigarette consumption
While those who are already addicted to nicotine may be able to wean themselves off the drug with the lower amounts of nicotine, some may smoke more to get their fix, explains Weaver.
In doing so, they inhale more tobacco – and other harmful ingredients – to get their normal dose.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has waged campaigns against the nicotine and tobacco industries in recent years, and the White House orders are just the latest in a long line of restrictions placed on these products.
Flavored nicotine and synthetic nicotine e-cigarette products have been in the agency's crosshairs, with regulators forcing the products to apply for approval individually to avoid being pulled from shelves.
One of the largest e-cigarette companies, Juul, is expected to lose its marketability in the US after a Wall Street Journal The report found his application was likely to be rejected.
Steinberg is a supporter of banning flavored e-cigarettes, but believes unflavored products have value because they could help some smokers quit the bad habit.
Weaver also agrees, but sees less value in e-cigarettes overall.
"Electronic cigarettes were never designed or marketed to help people quit smoking... they have not been successful at doing so," he explained.
He says only about 10 percent of people who have tried to quit smoking using the devices have done so successfully, while the majority have become "dual users" - those who use combustible and electronic nicotine devices.