Stephen Chrzanowski
Dr. Kerr
Eng 101 H Sec 1
10/22/2010
Why the FDA Should Regulate Tobacco Products
There is a growing debate within medical community and the U.S. Federal Government about whether or not the government should be involved in regulating the tobacco industry to the same standards that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates medications and food substances. While tobacco has not been classified as a drug, despite the highly addictive nature of nicotine and the relatively short time required for someone to become addicted to its properties, there is a growing movement that there should be greater federal regulation and oversight in all phases of production, including the various manufacturing processes where a variety of chemicals are added to the tobacco ingredients to enhance its effects. Also it is globally acknowledged that cigarettes do in fact lead to cancer (Brandt). That said, there are multiple parties and interests that are opposed, such as the big tobacco companies, to these proposals on the grounds that, as tobacco and nicotine have not been classified as drugs, the FDA and hence the federal government do not have the legal authority to impose outside regulations beyond those that are already imposed by other authorities involved in the sale and manufacturing of tobacco products.
Tobacco and tobacco-based products to include cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and snuff are generally acknowledged to be some of the most medically damaging products in the market today. While measures enacted recently by federal, state and local authorities have aimed at curbing the use of tobacco products in a variety of settings to include restaurants, hospitals, grade schools and other areas, these entities have not been empowered or authorized to approach the big tobacco companies or industry in general to enact calls for modification of these types of products to curb their nicotine content or to modify or regulate the other harmful and toxic chemicals involved in production, as well as the byproduct of cigarettes, that is, cigarette smoke. The smoke itself involves carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds that have been proven to lead to potential cancer in laboratory tests, tar, nicotine, as well as formaldehyde (used in the embalming process during autopsies of cadavers), hydrogen cyanide (a well known poison), and arsenic (another well known poison) ("Quitsmokingsupport.com").
While all are of concern, the compound of greatest concern is nicotine. Nicotine is a highly addictive compound that is contained in the smoke generated from a lit cigarette. When inhaled into the lungs, the nicotine will reach the brain in approximately 6 seconds as it is a rapid-acting agent, producing an almost instant "satisfaction". Nicotine in the bloodstream acts to make the smoker feel calm; hence those smokers that claim to need a cigarette to calm them down or just to relax. The highly addictive nature of the nicotine itself, combined with the instant feelings of calm it produces, is a difficult cycle for many to break out of. In small doses, nicotine is a stimulant. In larger doses, it acts as a depressant and at much higher doses it can have potentially lethal effects on the heart, blood vessels, and other organs in the body. Reasons like nicotine and the multiple carcinogens are why tobacco needs to be controlled by the FDA.
Some of the other chemicals involved are toxic and or lethal in greater quantities and doses as well. For example, one of the additives to cigarettes is similar to rocket fuel is utilized to help the tip of the cigarette burning at an extremely high temperature. This action allows the nicotine in the tobacco to be turned into a vapor that is more easily absorbed in the lungs, producing the calming effects once the nicotine makes it to the brain and the blood stream. Another ingredient, ammonia, is also part of the manufacturing process. This is another additive to help turn the nicotine into a vapor for easier absorption into the blood stream.
For all of these points, while nicotine is looked upon as a drug, it is not a drug that is currently under regulation by the federal government, or any level of government for that matter. Despite the fact that it is one of the most highly addictive drugs currently available over the counter, there are an estimated 45 million smokers in the United States, and the medical facts that have proven the links between smoking a various forms of cancer (including lung, throat and mouth cancer as well as emphysema), there is currently no legislation that has been enacted to give the FDA or any other federal agency the authority to have oversight, or regulatory authority, over the various facets of the tobacco industry. In essence, while there are laws that require disclosure by the tobacco companies to the government on the types of chemicals used in the manufacturing process, the government does not have the authority to regulate any aspects of the process or the materials and chemicals used in that process.
That said, there have been previous efforts by the U.S. Federal Government to create the required legislation to give the federal government the same type of authority that the FDA currently has over the food sector as well as the drug industry. Previously, efforts to create and pass this type of legislation have failed take become involved in the same manner that it (specifically the FDA) plays a role in the regulation of foods and drugs. One reason tobacco legislation has failed is the big tobacco companies donates thousands of dollars every year to the congressman making the congress members less likely to support tobacco legislation ("Tricities.com").
There are a few logical reasons why the FDA should not regulate tobacco based products. One reason is seeing as tobacco is neither a food nor a drug this would mean the FDA would be going into an area with which they have no experience (Troy
As many reasons as there are for the FDA to not regulate tobacco there are ten times as many reasons why they should. First off the FDA already regulates all other legal addictive drugs, so why not nicotine? As one of the most addictive legal substances nicotine needs to be regulated to keep less people form getting addicted ("Tobacco and Smoking" )seeing as 1000 children get addicted to cigarettes everyday. The FDA is the only regulatory agency with the funds, scientific knowledge and power to hold big tobacco accountable, and move towards a safer cigarette (Toomey). Another reason is tobacco related illness costs the government over 100 billion dollars every year in healthcare costs ("Americanheart.org"). If tobacco was regulated by the FDA then the advertising could be much more controlled seeing as tobacco advertising is aimed at the younger generation to entice them into smoking, and then they get hooked and become a permanent customer ("Quitsmokingsupport.com").Every year big tobacco companies spend 5 billion on advertising aimed at youths, if the FDA regulated this future generations could be prevented from smoking ("Smoking "). Lastly, if the FDA were regulate tobacco they could put much more money into smoking cessation research thus helping to find a cure for smoking addiction.
If the FDA regulates big- tobacco we will see a decline in minors smoking as well as a decline in government spending, i say this because every year the government millions of dollars on Medicare for tobacco related illness that money could be put elsewhere. if the levels of nicotine were lowered than the rate of addiction would decline rapidly. We would see less advertising thus creating less of an appeal to minors, and lastly there would be more funding into smoking cessation research that would ultimately help people quit.
Works Cited
Brandt, Allan. "FDA Regulation of tobacco." nejm.org. N.p., july 31 2008. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp0803729
"Have you ever wonderd whats in a cigarette?."Quitsmokingsupport.com. N.p.,
../11/2010. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/whatsinit.htm>.
Murphy, Erin. "Should FDA regulate tobacco products?." Heartland.org. the Heartland Institute, june 2007. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www.heartland.org/policybot/results/21489/Should_FDA_Regulate_Tobacco_Products.html>.
Tobacco and Smoking. Farmington Hills
Tobacco Should be regulated by the FDA." Tricities.com. N.p., april 2009. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www2.tricities.com/news/2009/apr/07/tobacco_should_be_regulated_by_fda-ar-248253/>.
Toomey, Burnadette. "Tobacco. Most lethal, should be regulated by the FDA." Breathehealthy.org. N.p., April 29 2008. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://breathehealthy.org/images/uploads/WSJBTeditor
<http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/183179/fda-cant/tevi-troy>.
Should the FDA Regulate Tobacco? Health Freedom Advocate Says Criminalizing Cigarettes Is a Mistake." Independent News on Natural Health, Nutrition and More.Web. 22 Nov. 2010.<http://www.naturalnews.com/023743_tobacco_cigarettes_health.html>.
Smoking . Farmington Hills
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