FDA Says It Plans To Lower Nicotine In Cigarettes To Non-addictive Levels

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced a new plan to lower the nicotine levels in cigarettes to non-addictive levels. Because almost 90% of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18, lowering nicotine levels could decrease the likelihood that future generations become addicted to cigarettes and allow more currently addicted smokers to quit, the FDA said. The news crushed the stock of cigarette producers including British American Tobacco , Altria Group and Philip Morris International .