Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco to Protect Children and Adolescents

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing regulations governing access to and promotion of nicotine-containing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to children and adolescents. The regulations prohibit the sale of nicotine-containing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to individuals under the age of 18; require manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply with certain conditions regarding the sale and distribution of these products; require retailers to verify a purchaser's age by photographic identification; prohibit all free samples and prohibit the sale of these products through vending machines and self-service displays except in facilities where individuals under the age of 18 are not present or permitted at any time; limit the advertising and labeling to which children and adolescents are exposed to a black-and-white, text- only format; prohibit the sale or distribution of brand-identified promotional nontobacco items such as hats and tee shirts; prohibit sponsorship of sporting and other events, teams, and entries in a brand name of a tobacco product, but permit such sponsorship in a corporate name; and require manufacturers to provide intended use information on all cigarette and smokeless tobacco product labels and in cigarette advertising. These regulations will address the serious public health problems caused by cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. They will reduce children's and adolescents' easy access to cigarettes and smokeless tobacco and will significantly decrease the amount of positive imagery that makes these products so appealing to that age group.