US Legislation Would Ban Artificial, Natural Flavors in Tobacco

The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association provides some helpful insights into how the amended Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act passed by the US House of Representatives will affect flavors and flavor materials permitted in cigarettes. As the organization points out, most tobacco flavorings would be banned, if signed into law by President Obama, which is expected. The amended legislation reads in part:

Beginning 3 months after the date of enactment of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, a cigarette or any of its component parts (including the tobacco, filter, or paper) shall not contain, as a constituent (including a smoke constituent) or additive, an artificial or natural flavor (other than tobacco or menthol) or an herb or spice, including strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon, pineapple, vanilla, coconut, licorice, cocoa, chocolate, cherry, or coffee, that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco product or tobacco smoke.

The legislation considers flavorings additives, as can be seen here (bolding ours):

Additive.—The term ‘additive’ means any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result, directly or indirectly, in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristic of any tobacco product (including any substances intended for use as a flavoring, coloring or in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing, treating, packaging, transporting, or holding), except that such term does not include tobacco or a pesticide chemical residue in or on raw tobacco or a pesticide chemical.

 

 

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