US
Recently released estimates by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said reducing the amount of nicotine present in cigarettes could prevent as many as eight million tobacco-related deaths. FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb added that a significant further 30 million people could be safeguarded from becoming addicted to smoking.
“Just imagine the impact this policy could have on treatment costs,” said Gottlieb. “Currently, we spend about US$300 billion every year on the direct and indirect costs associated with tobacco-related illnesses. In a world where cigarettes were minimally or non-addictive, the reduction in those overall costs would be enormous.”
One of the main aims of this consultation will be trying to determine whether reducing nicotine levels will encourage the formation of a black market selling cigarettes with regular levels.