FDA Blessing Sought for 'Modified Risk' Tobacco Product

Niche tobacco company Star Scientific is seeking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval to sell its wintergreen-flavored, dissolvable tobacco lozenges as 'modified risk' products, the Associated Press reported Feb. 22.

The company contends that the Ariva-BDL lozenges don't have detectable levels of cancer-causing agents found in other tobacco products, although they do contain addictive nicotine.

The FDA is currently working on guidelines for classifying 'modified-risk' tobacco products. Star Scientific wants to market Ariva-BDL to smokers as “a useful alternative — with greatly reduced toxin levels,” according to the company.