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FDA launches public education campaign to promote smoking cessation

Yesterday, on the 11th of December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced an educational campaign called “Every Try Counts”, aimed at adult smokers and encouraging them to quit.

Diane Caruana

December 13, 2017

An adviser to the FDA just issued its recommendations concerning the regulation of e- cigarette.

Last August, the FDA announced a major shakeup to the agency’s policy on e-cigarettes which amongst other things includes the de-nicotinization of cigarettes, and a PMTA deadline delay.

Then yesterday, on Monday the 11th of December, the agency announced the “Every Try Counts”. A campaign targeted at smokers aged between 25 and 54 who have previously tried quitting with no success. The two-year campaign will be launched next month across 35 U.S. markets and features print, digital, radio, and out-of-home ads, such as on billboards.

“The ‘Every Try Counts’ campaign encourages smokers to rethink their next pack of cigarettes at the most critical of places — the point of sale. Tobacco companies have long used advertisements at convenience stores and gas stations to promote their products, and we plan to use that same space to embolden smokers to quit instead.”Scott Gottlieb, FDA Commisioner

“Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S.,” said U.S. Surgeon General DR. Jerome M. Adams, M.D., M.P.H. “As Surgeon General, I believe sustained and comprehensive efforts, including the FDA’s ‘Every Try Counts’ campaign, are critical to encouraging more Americans to quit smoking and preventing the harms associated with cigarette use.”

Is the FDA finally on the right side?

FDA Commissioner DR. Scott Gottlieb, pointed out that this campaign aims to target smokers in the same places tobacco companies normally do. “The ‘Every Try Counts’ campaign encourages smokers to rethink their next pack of cigarettes at the most critical of places — the point of sale. Tobacco companies have long used advertisements at convenience stores and gas stations to promote their products, and we plan to use that same space to embolden smokers to quit instead,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.

“Our aim is to render cigarettes minimally or non-addictive, while encouraging the development of potentially less harmful tobacco products for adults who still want or need access to nicotine. At the same time, we’re also taking new steps to improve access and use of FDA-approved medicinal nicotine products to help smokers quit.”Scott Gottlieb, FDA Commisioner

“The FDA is committed to reducing tobacco-related disease and death by helping people quit combustible cigarettes and implementing comprehensive policies to reduce addiction to nicotine. Our aim is to render cigarettes minimally or non-addictive, while encouraging the development of potentially less harmful tobacco products for adults who still want or need access to nicotine. At the same time, we’re also taking new steps to improve access and use of FDA-approved medicinal nicotine products to help smokers quit,” concluded Gottlieb.

The role of electronic cigarettes in smoking cessation

In line with the above, last August the commissioner also said that the FDA’s new tobacco plan supports product innovation so that smokers can obtain the nicotine they crave, without the added carcinogens derived from the combustion of tobacco. He had pointed out that smoking rates continue to drop across the US, however approximately 480,000 people continue to die per year due to smoking related conditions. Hence, the FDA aims to review the way low risk products such as e-cigarettes are regulated, so that smokers are able to switch to safer alternatives that could potentially save their life.

Read Further: FDA