Listening Sessions: FDA’s Recently Proposed Tobacco Product Standards June 13 - 15, 2022

Meeting | Virtual

• Date: June 13 - 15, 2022

• Organized By: Center for Tobacco Products ; Food and Drug Administration

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On this page:

• Session Recordings
  • Listening Session – June 13, 2022
  • Listening Session – June 15, 2022
• Listening Sessions Objective

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Session Recordings

Listening Session – June 13, 2022

• Transcript - Listening Session – June 13, 2022

 

Listening Session – June 15, 2022

• Transcript - Listening Session – June 15, 2022

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Listening Sessions Objective

FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) recently proposed two product standards: one that would prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and another that would prohibit characterizing flavors (other than tobacco) in all cigars.  

On June 13 and June 15, 2022, FDA held virtual listening sessions to give the public an opportunity to verbally provide open public comment on the proposed product standards. During each listening session, FDA began with an overview of the proposed rules and registered speakers were able to share their comments on topics related to the product standards. 

FDA’s aim was to make the sessions as inclusive as possible and to create an opportunity to hear a range of ideas and perspectives. While anyone was able to request to provide open public comment during the sessions, FDA was especially interested in hearing from those with relevant lived experience and those who may be less likely, or less able, to provide formal written comments through the standard docket submission process.

Live closed captioning and ASL interpreters were provided during the listening sessions. The transcripts and recordings are now available and are accessible through the dockets as well as on this page. 

Please note: In addition to those meetings, the public was able to submit electronic or written comments to the docket for each proposed product standard. Please visit the Federal Register Notice for the “Tobacco Product Standard for Menthol in Cigarettes” or “Tobacco Product Standard for Characterizing Flavors in Cigars” to review the transcripts and recordings.

This live, virtual meeting featured the following speakers:

• Opening: Moderator, Necola Staples, Supervisory Health Communications Specialist, Office of Health Communications and Education, Center for Tobacco Products, FDA
• Welcome and Introduction:  Michele Mital, Deputy Director, Center for Tobacco Products, FDA
• RADM Araojo , FDA’s Associate Commissioner for Minority Health and the Director of FDA’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity
• Overview:  Beth Buckler, Senior Regulatory Counsel, Office of Regulations, Center for Tobacco Products; Nate Mease, Regulatory Counsel, Office of Regulations, Center for Tobacco Products; Eric Mandle, Regulatory Counsel, Office of Regulations, Center for Tobacco Products

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Additional Resources 

• Tobacco Product Standard for Menthol in Cigarettes (Docket No. FDA-2021-N-1349)
• Tobacco Product Standard for Characterizing Flavors in Cigars (Docket No. FDA-2021-N-1309)
• FDA Proposes Rules Prohibiting Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars to Prevent Youth Initiation, Significantly Reduce Tobacco-Related Disease and Death
• Fact Sheet: Proposed product standards to prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and all characterizing flavors (other than tobacco) in cigars
• FDA Commits to Evidence-Based Actions Aimed at Saving Lives and Preventing Future Generations of Smokers 

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