From Halfwheel Today:
FDA Issues Cigar Warning, Advertising Plan Draft Guidance
When the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intention to regulate a variety of tobacco products, including cigars, it issued a variety of documents highlighted by a 499-page read explaining the new rules and its intentions. Despite the literal pounds of paper released in May, the agency acknowledged that there were gray areas and that in some cases, it was still deciding exactly how to regulate these products. In some of the more complex parts of the rule, FDA said it would issue guidance at a later date. Yesterday came word that guidance would be issued on at least one major topic: warning labels and advertising. As part of the new regulations, oftentimes described as the deeming regulations, the packaging cigars come in—boxes and bundles—along with advertising will be subject to warning labels. Draft guidance is non-binding and is said to describe the agency’s current thinking. In short, FDA could change its mind and introduce binding rules that are less or more restrictive than those published today. FDA is asking for comments from the public on the guidance document, with the submission for comments window open for the next 30 days.
