The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has, for the first time, endorsed a brand of tobacco pouches as less harmful than cigarettes. This marks the government’s first backing of a reduced-risk tobacco product.
The Swedish Match snus pouches will still bear mandatory government warnings that they can cause mouth cancer, gum disease, and tooth loss, but the company will be able to advertise its tobacco pouches as posing a lower risk of lung cancer, bronchitis, heart disease, and other diseases than cigarettes.
Swedish Match sells its snus under the brand name General in mint, wintergreen, and other flavors.
FDA acting commissioner, Ned Sharpless, said the agency based its decision on long-term, population-level data showing lower levels of lung cancer, emphysema, and other smoking-related diseases with the use of snus. He also said that the agency will closely monitor Swedish Match’s marketing efforts to ensure they target adult tobacco users.“Anyone who does not currently use tobacco products, especially youth, should refrain from doing so,” he said in a statement.