US FDA CTP - Jan. 2025 Reactions Part 1

Nicotine, Menthol, ZYN, and WHO

EDIT: January 28, 2025: I am adding two new categories to the statements: withdrawal of the proposed menthol rule and from the WHO.

It has been a busy week for those who follow nicotine regulations in the United States! Below are statements, comments, or reactions to the proposed reduced-nicotine rule and the marketing orders granted to ZYN. 

If I can’t find an official statement to link to, I’ll try to find quotes from representatives of the organizations listed below.

Note: I will update this after it is published. You can find those edits by looking for “*NEW*” before the entry. I’ve been asked to compile quotes from news articles, and I will do that in a “Part Two” post.

Advocacy Organizations & Non-Profit Funders

Action on Smoking & Health ASH

• VLNC: Statements on FDA’s Proposed Rule to Limit Nicotine in Cigarettes.

• ZYN:

• Menthol: *NEW* “The FDA’s previously proposed rule to ban menthol would save millions of American lives from painful, preventable deaths. There is no scientific research that supports withdrawing the rule, yet unfortunately, the FDA has done so,” said Laurent Huber, executive director for Action on Smoking and Health in an email. “ASH will continue to advocate on behalf of Americans’ health, and because menthol makes youth smoking initiation easier and smoking harder to quit, we will continue to push for a ban on menthol in tobacco products.” (source)

• WHO: Leaving the World Health Organization is Bad for Public Health.

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

• VLNC: ACS CAN Applauds FDA Proposed Rule to Reduce Nicotine to Minimally or Nonaddictive Level in Cigarettes

• ZYN:

• Menthol:

• WHO:

American Heart Association

• VLNC: FDA proposes landmark nicotine limit in cigarettes and certain other combustible tobacco products.

• ZYN:

• Menthol:

• WHO:

American Lung Association

• Other: American Lung Association Statement to the New Presidential Administration.

• VLNC: American Lung Association Applauds Proposal to Reduce Nicotine in Cigarettes and Other Products; Urges FDA To Include All Tobacco.

• ZYN: American Lung Association: FDA’s Authorization of Flavored Zyn is a Gift to Big Tobacco.

• Menthol: *NEW* “The Lung Association remains deeply disappointed that President Biden did not finalize the menthol cigarette and flavored cigar rules when he could,” said Erika Sward, the assistant vice president of national advocacy for the American Lung Association.” (source)

• WHO:

Bloomberg

• VLNC: Tweet Dr. Kelly Henning Reduced Nicotine Rule

• ZYN: Tweet Dr. Kelly Henning ZYN

• Menthol:

• WHO: *NEW* Tweet Dr. Kelly Henning WHO

CTFK - Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

• VLNC: FDA’s Proposed Rule to Limit Nicotine in Cigarettes Would Save Millions of Lives – It Should be Finalized and Implemented. (Tweet)

• ZYN: FDA Authorization of Flavored Zyn Products Ignores Appeal to Kids and Risks Another Juul. (Tweet)

• Menthol: *NEW* Tweet.

• WHO: *NEW* Trump Administration Should Reverse Decision to Withdraw from World Health Organization.

GA - Global Action to End Smoking

• VLNC: FDAs Proposed Nicotine Reduction Rule: A Vital Step with More Needed | Cliff Douglas

• ZYN: *NEW* Tweet - quote in Stat News.

• Menthol: *NEW* Tweet (about menthol, not current actions).

• WHO:

PAVe - Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes

• VLNC:

• ZYN: Tweet ZYN and Tweet more Zyn

• Menthol: *NEW* Tweet.

• WHO:

Resolve to Save Lives & Dr. Tom Frieden

• VLNC: *NEW* Frieden Tweet.

• ZYN:

• Menthol: *NEW* Frieden Tweet.

• WHO: *NEW* Frieden Tweet/Video.

Smoke Free Sweden

• VLNC:

• ZYN: US FDA approval of nicotine pouches is a landmark moment for Harm Reduction.

• Menthol:

• WHO:

Truth Initiative

• VLNC: Proposal to Lower Nicotine Levels Represents Historic Step Forward for Public Health (Tweet)

• ZYN: Ensuring Youth Protection and Supporting Adult Access: The Public Health Imperative of FDA’s Zyn Authorization.

• Menthol:

• WHO:

Politicians and Government Agencies/Representatives

Danielle Carnival

• VLNC: Statement from Deputy Assistant to the President for the Cancer Moonshot and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Deputy Director for Health Outcomes Danielle Carnival on FDA’s Proposed Nicotine Rule. *UPDATE* That link now gives a 404 error. The statement may be found on the Wayback Machine.

• ZYN:

• Menthol:

• WHO:

U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr.

• VLNC: Pallone Hails FDA’s Proposed Nicotine Product Standard

• ZYN:

• Menthol:

• WHO:

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal

• VLNC: Blumenthal Statement on Proposed FDA Rule to Limit Nicotine Levels in Cigarettes

• ZYN:

• Menthol:

• WHO:

Misc.

Stanton Glantz

• VLNC: *NEW* Mentions Nicotine Rule and ZYN.

• Zyn: (see above)

• Menthol:

• WHO:

Industry, Consultants, and Trade Organizations

22nd Century

• VLNC: FDA Publishes Proposed New Tobacco Product Standard for Nicotine Yield, Citing VLN from 22nd Century as the Only Combustible Cigarette That Complies with the New Standard

• ZYN:

• Menthol:

• WHO:

Broughton

• VLNC:

• ZYN: *NEW* Broughton Welcomes FDA Authorization of ZYN Nicotine Pouches.

• Menthol:

• WHO:

JUUL

• VLNC: JUUL LABS’ STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED RULE TO CAP NICOTINE IN CIGARETTES

• ZYN:

• Menthol:

• WHO:

PMI

• VLNC:

• ZYN: *NEW* FDA Authorizes All ZYN Nicotine Pouch Products Currently Marketed by Swedish Match in the U.S.

• Menthol:

• WHO:

Until next time…