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It has often been noted that the tobacco industry is cosseted by regulatory exceptionalism. Unlike food, drink and pharmaceuticals that are taken into the body, and doctors, dentists, podiatrists, tattooists, body piercers and even brothels whose work involves various gradations of body penetration, tobacco remains the only commercial product or service intended to be taken into the body which is not commonly subject to safety regulation standards. Those wanting to do things to other’s bodies have to be qualified, trained, inspected, tested and risk losing their rights to practice if breaching legislated standards. Drugs designed to save lives and enhance health are subject to elaborate regulatory controls and those selling them required to undertake degrees in pharmacy or medicine. In most nations, tobacco, which causes stratospheric death estimated to reach a billion this century,1 can be sold by anyone. Manufacturers are free to add any licit additive for whatever purpose they please.
Very few in tobacco control appear to believe this situation should continue, with most futurists now routinely calling on tobacco to be “regulated”. But beyond the glib catchcry, what would regulating tobacco—the product—actually involve?
Legislated performance standards are now in place in Canada and several US states for reduced ignition propensity (RIP) …