In a decision that could reshape U.S. tobacco regulation, a health advisory panel will vote next week on whether Swedish Match AB, a Stockholm-based maker of smokeless tobacco products known as snus, can claim they are less harmful than cigarettes, Reuters reported. The closely watched vote could pave the way for the first Food and Drug Administration approval of a modified risk tobacco product and set a precedent for companies seeking to make similar claims. The two-day discussion will culminate in a vote on April 10th. Snus is a moist smokeless tobacco product that users place underneath the upper lip. It can be bought loose, or in small teabag-like pouches. It does not involve chewing or spitting. Swedish Match is asking permission to remove required warnings about mouth cancer, gum disease and tooth loss from its product packaging, saying there is no evidence to support a link between mouth disease and Swedish snus. It proposes retaining the risk of nicotine addiction. The company also wants to replace a warning that smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to cigarettes with one that acknowledges no tobacco product is safe, but states its own products are substantially less risky than cigarettes. Cigarettes remain on the market. -- SPA 20:45 LOCAL TIME 17:45 GMT تغريد
