Tobacco use is a substantial barrier to our nation’s collective efforts to build a Culture of Health. Tobacco products addict their users—often during their formative teen years, with lifelong consequences for health. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that, in 2015, more than two-thirds of smokers wanted to quit and 55 percent had tried to quit within the past year—but only 7 percent had succeeded in the previous 6 to 12 months. And even more telling is the fact that 9 in 10 smokers regret having started in the first place.
Tobacco’s enormous toll on our society underscores why it’s so important to reduce its use in order to build a Culture of Health.
We have a unique opportunity now, as the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers making new rules on limiting nicotine in tobacco, further restricting flavored tobacco products, and exempting premium cigars from its authority to regulate tobacco. Here’s what RWJF recommends:
Reduce Nicotine to Non-Addictive Levels
Nicotine is what makes tobacco products addictive—and it’s a key factor in whether kids who try tobacco become regular smokers. Limiting nicotine to non-addictive levels in all combusted tobacco products can prevent kids from becoming addicted and help more smokers quit. This action might lower smoking rates across all groups and could be particularly beneficial for those with lower quit rates, including marginalized populations.
Further Restrict Flavored Tobacco Products
Although the Tobacco Control Act bans the sale of most flavored cigarettes, menthol cigarettes are still sold throughout most of the country and e-cigarettes and cigars are sold in flavors like cherry, vanilla, chocolate, and clove that appeal to young people. FDA has found that menthol cigarettes lead to increased smoking among young people, greater addiction, and reduced success in quitting smoking. They are also disproportionately used by and marketed to African-Americans, who are more likely than whites to die from a tobacco-related disease.