WASHINGTON, D.C. August 27, 2015 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today sent warning letters to three tobacco manufacturers ITG Brands LLC, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, Inc. and Sherman 's 1400 Broadway N.Y.C. Ltd. that have been advertising their cigarettes as natural and/or additive-free. Following is a statement from ACS CAN President Chris Hansen. The FDA took a critical step today in issuing warning letters to three tobacco manufacturers that have been making misleading claims that their products are äóÖnatural ' and are therefore less harmful to the consumer. Without an order from the FDA to claim their products reduce harm or risk from tobacco-related disease, these companies, which produce products such as Winston cigarettes and American Spirit cigarettes, are unlawfully marketing their products as healthier options without any scientific proof. This brings us back to the days before FDA regulation when tobacco companies deceptively advertised their cigarettes as äóÖlight ' and äóÖlow-tar, ' convincing consumers to continue smoking cigarettes that were no less hazardous than others, and causing irreparable damage to the health of this nation. We 've made too much progress in tobacco control today to go backwards, and the FDA is taking appropriate action to ensure we don 't. Congress gave the FDA the authority under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act to protect the public from the egregious marketing tactics the tobacco industry has a history of using to deceive its customers this is a great example of the power of that law at work. ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Lauren Walens or Steven Weiss American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Phone: (202) 661-5763 or (202) 661-5711 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] #tobacco #FDA #cancer #lungcancer #ACSCAN #cigarette