US FDA Concerned About Swedish Match Proposal

The Associated Press reported that scientists from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have concerns about tobacco maker Swedish Match AB’s (STO:SWMA) proposal to change cancer warning language on the packaging of its snus tobacco product.

As quoted in the market news:

Snus are teabag-like pouches or loose tobacco that users stick between their cheek and gum to absorb nicotine. They are popular in Scandinavian countries and are part of a growing smokeless tobacco market in the U.S.

The FDA has scheduled a two-day meeting to review Swedish Match’s data intended to show that snus do not carry the same risks of mouth cancer, gum disease and tooth loss as other tobacco products.

In an application filed in June, Swedish Match, whose North American headquarters is in Richmond, Virginia, proposed a new warning emphasizing that snus are less risky than smoking: ‘No tobacco product is safe but this product presents substantially lower risks to health than cigarettes.’

But in a scientific review posted Tuesday, FDA staff question whether that language ‘adequately reflects the health risks of using snus.’

Click here to read the full report from the Associated Press.