American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) filed 10 comments on this docket between Jul 28, 2022 and Aug 3, 2022. 265 other organizations filed here. The comment window closed 1456d ago.
The Virginia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics strongly supports the Proposed Rule by the Food and Drug Administration: Tobacco Product Standard for Characterizing Flavors in Cigars.
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On behalf of California Chapter 1, American Academy of Pediatrics, I write to offer strong support for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s proposed rule to prohibit all characterizing flavors in cigars. Removing flavored cigars from the market is one of the most impactful actions FDA can take to protect young people from tobacco products and advance health equity. Given the strong evidence supporting action on flavored cigars, we urge you to finalize this proposal without delay. See attached AAPCA1 comments on flavored cigars proposed rule.
On behalf of Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, I write to offer strong support for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s proposed rule to prohibit all characterizing flavors in cigars. Removing flavored cigars from the market is one of the most impactful actions FDA can take to protect young people from tobacco products and advance health equity. Given the strong evidence supporting action on flavored cigars, we urge you to finalize this proposal without delay. The evidence is clear: flavors in tobacco products are designed to attract young users. Due to ongoing brain development, adolescents are uniquely susceptible to both tobacco product experimentation and the nicotine addiction that sustains long-term tobacco product use. As a result, nicotine addiction in youth happens faster and earlier than it does in adults. At the same time, the use of flavors increases the appeal of tobacco products to young people and promotes youth initiation. Flavors help mask the harsh taste of nicotine, making repeated use more likely, and thereby increasing the likelihood of developing addiction. In fact, youth-appealing flavored cigars are highly popular among young people. Of the 380,000 middle and high school students who reported smoking cigars, nearly half use flavored products. Data also show that preference for sweet, flavored cigars is inversely correlated with age, as younger people report use of flavored cigars at significantly higher rates than older people. Flavored cigars have also caused substantial harm to public health. The tobacco industry has targeted Black communities with marketing for cheap, flavored cigars for decades. As a result, Black high school students smoke cigars at higher rates compared to other races or ethnicities. In addition to youth and Black smokers, the FDA's proposed rule recognizes the disproportionate burden that cigar use – including flavored cigar use – has on members of many underserved communities, stating, "Such disparities in cigar use contribute to higher rates of observed tobacco-related morbidity and mortality among underserved communities and vulnerable populations, such as youth and young adults, some racial and ethnic populations, those with lower household income and educational attainment, and individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+)." Given the disproportionate health burden experienced in some communities, the FDA expects that eliminating flavored cigars will substantially decrease tobacco-related health disparities and will promote health equity across population groups. Pediatricians counsel young people about the harms of smoking and know firsthand the role that flavored tobacco products play in encouraging youth to start smoking and keep smoking. Arizona's pediatricians stand behind the FDA in these efforts to remove flavored cigars from the market and thank you for proposing this bold action to protect young people and improve the public health. We urge you to act quickly to finalize this rule. Thank you. Sincerely, Mary E. Rimsza, MD, FAAP AzAAP Advocacy Committee Chair
Docket No. FDA–2021–N–1309 for "Tobacco Product Standard for Characterizing Flavors in Cigars"
The Colorado Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics urges the FDA to enact the Flavored Cigar Proposed Rule. We agree completely with the reasoning provided-- that flavored tobacco and nicotine products attract children and young adults, leading to nicotine addiction and a lifetime of adverse health effects from tobacco use. Federal action to eliminate flavors from these products will prevent misery and save lives for decades to come. Thank you for doing the right thing for our children.
Filed on regulations.gov — full text not in the inline record.
Filed on regulations.gov — full text not in the inline record.
Filed on regulations.gov — full text not in the inline record.
No abstract recorded.
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