WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators have questions about the data submitted by tobacco maker Swedish Match in its bid to become the first company to market a smokeless tobacco product as less harmful than cigarettes.
Food and Drug Administration scientists say they have "concerns" about how the company studied its snus tobacco product and its proposal to modify cancer warning language on the packaging.
Snus are teabag-like pouches or loose tobacco that users stick between their cheek and gum. 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 company data designed to show that snus do not carry the same risks of mouth cancer, gum disease and tooth loss as other tobacco products.
