Law Enforcement Highlights Tobacco Contraband Issue

Asks FDA For Thorough Study by Experts

SPRINGFIELD, Va., July 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Expressing a "heightened concern" about an un-elected regulatory agency that may enact a ban on currently lawful products, the Law Enforcement Alliance of America (LEAA) asked the Food and Drug Administration to assure a thorough study by qualified experts of the ramifications on the illegal tobacco trade if menthol cigarettes are outlawed.

LEAA Executive Director James J. Fotis repeated earlier concerns that a new form of 'prohibition' on a high demand product could create an illegal market that would overwhelm law enforcement and judicial systems and divert resources from more pressing problems similar to those seen after Prohibition in the 1920's.  He expressed concern about counterproductive mandates on law enforcement, about whether an FDA advisory panel is qualified to study contraband markets, and why the FDA has not moved to study the contraband issue despite a mandate in law to do so. 

Fotis said in the letter:  "We are increasingly concerned that the FDA and its Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) is not qualified to study the issue of contraband or law enforcement's concerns associated with it."  And, "...it appears no members have expertise in the workings of illicit or contraband markets of the type that would be created by the ban under consideration."

He added: "Even if one assumes that TPSAC or the FDA is qualified to study the contraband issue, we find no evidence of movement toward studying this issue."  Fotis also observed that they have not, "...reached out to educate themselves about the very real possibility that banning currently lawful classes of cigarettes will cause explosive growth in unregulated, contraband cigarettes."

Today, Fotis points out that, "bans and prohibitions of currently legal products regularly bought and sold in our society are a tough public policy proposition."  Adding that, "when a ban or prohibition is enacted it should come from those elected to Congress, those who the voters can hold accountable, not some un-elected, un-accountable 'faceless' agency."  Fotis also observed, "In 1994 Congress outlawed an entire group of products associated with guns and as a direct result many in Congress were voted out and control of the House shifted from Democrats to Republicans."

Fotis has asked the FDA to ensure the program is "being implemented in accordance with the law and that the impact on police and creating more contraband is thoroughly analyzed."

For information about LEAA please visit: www.leaa.org

Contact: Ted Deeds of the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, +1-703-847-2677

SOURCE Law Enforcement Alliance of America