A PR Newswire piece noted how four tobacco manufacturers are violating the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act by selling cigarettes as labeled as little cigars or cigars. The Act was passed by Congress and signed by Obama in 2009 in an effort to reduce the number of minors who begin smoking and develop an addiction. It outlaws tobacco products with certain flavors such as candy or fruit that may mask the flavor of actual tobacco.
The companies that received warning letters from the FDA include Swisher Sweets, Cheyenne, Prime Time, and Criss-Cross for products containing youth-appealing flavors like grape, cherry, and strawberry. The companies have 15 business days to respond to the warning letters or they become susceptible to civil money penalties, criminal prosecution, seizure, and/or injunction.
