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For the first time in history the Food and Drug Administration plans to regulate the level of nicotine in cigarettes, attempting to bring it down to “non-addictive” levels. The move, announced Friday, was praised by scientists — who also noted that there’s no consensus on what a “non-addictive” level of nicotine is. (Swetlitz, 7/31))

The Food and Drug Administration said Friday it wants to reduce the nicotine in cigarettes to make them less addictive. The unexpected announcement sent shares of tobacco companies plummeting and sparked praise among some public health advocates. If successful, the effort would be the first time the government has tried to get the Americans to quit cigarettes by reaching beyond warning labels or taxes to attacking the actual addictive substance inside. (McGinley, 7/28)

The Food and Drug Administration also said it would encourage smokers to switch to products such as e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco that are less dangerous than cigarettes. The so-called harm-reduction strategy is a break by the U.S. government from an abstinence-only approach to fighting tobacco-related diseases and deaths. (Maloney, 7/28)

Gottlieb also said the FDA is giving e-cigarette makers four more years to comply with a review of products already on the market. The agency needs to concentrate on nicotine regulation and not be distracted by the debate on whether e-cigarettes help smokers quit, he said. (7/28)

Gottlieb, 45, has gained an early reputation for moving swiftly in an executive branch that has been bogged down by political drama and a relatively slow pace in filling key posts across many agencies. It’s not clear whether Gottlieb personally sought President Donald Trump’s counsel before making the bombshell nicotine-reduction announcement, which sent tobacco industry stocks tumbling, but the White House supported the move. (Edney, 7/31)