Communicating
Tobacco Health Effects
The public should be guided by the messages of the U.S. Surgeon General, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other public health authorities in making decisions concerning the use of tobacco products.
Our tobacco companies' efforts to communicate about health risks begin with ongoing compliance with federal laws and regulations requiring health warnings on tobacco products.
Congressionally-mandated health warnings have been on cigarette packs since 1966 and on cigarette brand advertising since 1972. Similar warning requirements have been in place since 1986 for smokeless tobacco products and since 2000 for the cigars John Middleton sells.
Our tobacco companies provide reports, such as ingredient disclosures and information about harmful or potentially harmful constituents in tobacco products, to various federal and state agencies, including the FDA.
For more information about product ingredients and how our tobacco companies communicate about the health effects of their products, visit PM USA's, USSTC's, John Middleton's and NJOY's corporate websites.
Seeking Authorization to Communicate Reduced Harm Information
We can only compete in the U.S. marketplace with products authorized by the FDA. And we can only communicate reduced harm information if the FDA permits.
That's why we're seeking authorization from the FDA to put truthful, accurate information about reduced-risk products in the hands of consumers so that they can make a choice that's right for them.
For tobacco harm reduction to be successful, a marketplace of FDA-authorized reduced-risk products must be in place, with more information about the relative risks of those products being communicated to adult smokers.
The regulatory system should respect the rights of adults to make decisions based on accurate information. To make this a reality, the FDA needs to establish clear foundational rules for bringing these new innovative products to market.
Did you Know?
98% of health care professionals;
93% of policy professionals;
89% of general population adults 21+; and
89% of adult cigarette smokers 21+
surveyed agree that the FDA has a responsibility to accurately inform adults who use tobacco about the different levels of harm associated with different tobacco products.*
*Altria Client Services Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) Engagement Survey fielded nationwide from October 31, 2023 through November 20, 2023 among n=1,503 general population adults 21+ (MOE +/- 2.3%), n=406 adults 21+ who smoke cigarettes (MOE +/- 4.8%), n=300 other health care providers (MOE +/- 5.6%), and n=300 policy professionals (MOE +/- 5.6%). Results have been weighted by age, gender and tobacco product usage to match current U.S. population data.