Graphic warnings on order

A US federal court yesterday ordered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue expeditiously a final rule requiring graphic health warnings on cigarette packs and advertising, as mandated by a 2009 federal law, according to a statement posted on the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids website.
The statement was attributed to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Cancer Society, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the Truth Initiative
The ruling by district judge Indira Talwani of the district court for the District of Massachusetts was said to have been in response to a lawsuit filed in October 2016 by eight public health and medical groups and several individual pediatricians.
‘Judge Talwani agreed with the health groups that the FDA has both “unlawfully withheld” and “unreasonably delayed” agency action to require the graphic warnings,’ the statement said.
‘Judge Talwani set a deadline of September 26, 2018, for the FDA to “provide to this court an expedited schedule for the completion of outstanding studies, the publication of the proposed graphic warnings rule for public comment, review of public comments, and issuance of final graphic warnings rule in accordance with the Tobacco Control Act.’
The statement described the ruling as a major victory in the fight against tobacco use, which was said to be the nation’s number one cause of preventable death.
‘In accordance with the court’s order, we urge the FDA to quickly issue, finalize and implement a rule requiring graphic cigarette warnings,’ the statement said. ‘The current US cigarette warnings, which are printed on the side of cigarette packs and haven’t been updated since 1984, are stale, unnoticed and a major impediment to greater progress in reducing cigarette smoking.
‘Studies around the world have shown that graphic warnings are most effective at informing consumers about the health risks of smoking, preventing children and other non-smokers from starting to smoke, and motivating smokers to quit.
‘Requiring graphic cigarette warnings in the US will protect kids, save lives and reduce tobacco-related health care costs, which total $170 billion a year.’