FDA Orders Retailers to Stop Selling 13 Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 16 ordered retailers to cease selling 13 tobacco products that received nonsubstantially equivalent orders. These 13 products, which are deemed “misbranded and adulterated” by the FDA, include:

• Camel Sticks Mint, Viceroy Flex, Camel Strips Mint and Camel Orbs Mint from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
• Skoal Smooth Mint Tobacco Stick, Skoal Rich Tobacco Stick, Skoal Mint Tobacco Stick and Skoal Original Tobacco Stick from U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co.
• Union Full Flavor 100’s Box, Union Gold 100’s Box, Union Platinum 100’s Box, Union Menthol 100’s Box and Union Menthol Gold 100’s Box from Heritage Tobacco.

The FDA added that any retail with remaining inventory should work with the product manufacturer or supplier to discuss options for disposing of the products.

In response to the FDA announcement, R.J. Reynolds said that the FDA order has no impact on the company as the three brands listed have not been sold since 2013. R.J. Reynolds spokeswoman Kaelan Hollon said July 16, “We received the FDA’s orders earlier this year. Given these products have not been commercially sold in several years, these orders will have no commercial impact.”