WARNING LETTER
Cosmos Indian Store MARCS-CMS 575716 —
- Product:
- Tobacco
- Recipient:
-
Recipient NameAmrutha Ravikumar
- Cosmos Indian Store
734 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
United States
- Issuing Office:
- Center for Tobacco Products
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993
United States
VIA UPS and Electronic Mail
MARCH 6, 2019
Cosmos Indian Store LLC
Attn: Amrutha Ravikumar
734 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
cosmos66614@yahoo.com
support@indianonlinegrocery.com
indianonlinegrocery@gmail.com
WARNING LETTER
Dear Amrutha Ravikumar:
The Center for Tobacco Products of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently reviewed the website http://www.indianonlinegrocery.com and determined that the smokeless tobacco products listed there are offered for sale or distribution to customers in the United States. Under section 201(rr) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. § 321(rr)), as amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, (Tobacco Control Act), these products are tobacco products because they are made or derived from tobacco and intended for human consumption. Certain tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco, are subject to FDA jurisdiction under section 901(b) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387a(b)).
FDA has determined that the BABA 120 Premium Tobacco smokeless tobacco product is misbranded under section 903(a)(7)(B) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(7)(B)) because you sold this product to a person younger than 18 years of age. FDA has also determined that several smokeless tobacco products are misbranded under section 903(a)(1) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(1)) and/or section 903(a)(7)(A) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(7)(A)) because your website regarding smokeless tobacco products fails to include any health warning label statements.
Sales to Minors Violation
FDA’s investigation of the website http://www.indianonlinegrocery.com revealed that you sold a smokeless tobacco product to a minor. Specifically, during our investigation of http://www.indianonlinegrocery.com, a person younger than 18 years of age purchased BABA 120 Premium Tobacco smokeless tobacco product from your website. No retailer may sell cigarettes, cigarette tobacco and/or roll-your-own tobacco, or smokeless tobacco to a person younger than 18 years of age under 21 C.F.R. § 1140.14(a). Under section 903(a)(7)(B) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(7)(B)), tobacco products are misbranded if sold or distributed in violation of regulations prescribed under section 906(d) of the FD&C Act, including those within 21 C.F.R. Part 1140. Because this product is sold or distributed to persons younger than 18 years of age in violation of 21 C.F.R. § 1140.14(a), this product is misbranded under section 903(a)(7)(B) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(7)(B)).
Health Warning Statement Violations
Additionally, our review of the website http://www.indianonlinegrocery.com also revealed that the following smokeless tobacco products that you offer for sale or distribution in the United States do not include any health warning statements, for example: IPCO Creamy Snuff, Sopariwala Must Khaini, Baba 160 Saffron Blended Luxury Tobacco, and Rajnigandha Pan Masala. Section 3(b) of the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986 (Smokeless Tobacco Act) (15 U.S.C. § 4402), as amended by section 204 of the Tobacco Control Act, requires that advertisements for smokeless tobacco products bear one of the following health warning label statements:
WARNING: This product can cause mouth cancer.
WARNING: This product can cause gum disease and tooth loss.
WARNING: This product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes.
WARNING: Smokeless tobacco is addictive.
A tobacco product is misbranded under section 903(a)(1) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(1)) if its labeling is false or misleading in any particular. In addition, a tobacco product is misbranded under section 903(a)(7)(A) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(7)(A)) if, in the case of any tobacco product distributed or offered for sale in any State, its advertising is false or misleading in any particular. Under section 201(n) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 321(n)), in determining whether labeling and/or advertising is misleading, the agency considers, among other things, the failure to reveal material facts concerning the consequences that may result from the customary or usual use of the product.
Because your website regarding smokeless tobacco products doesnot include any health warnings for the smokeless tobacco products identified above, these smokeless tobacco products aremisbranded under section 903(a)(1) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(1)) and/or section 903(a)(7)(A) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(7)(A)).
In addition, we note that you are required to follow all other applicable federal laws and regulations. For example, section 3(b)(3) of the Smokeless Tobacco Act (15 U.S.C. § 4402) requires the quarterly rotation of warning label statements on advertising for each brand of smokeless tobacco. Quarterly rotation must be done in accordance with a plan submitted by the tobacco product manufacturer, importer, distributor, or retailer and approved by FDA. Section 3 of the Smokeless Tobacco Act also mandates that advertisements for smokeless tobacco products comply with certain requirements, including those regarding warning label statements and format.
Conclusion and Requested Actions
The violations discussed in this letter do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list. You should immediately correct the violations that are referenced above, as well as violations that are the same as or similar to those stated above, and take any necessary actions to bring your tobacco products into compliance with the FD&C Act.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your tobacco products and all related labeling and/or advertising on this website, on any other websites (including e-commerce, social networking, or search engine websites), in any other media in which you advertise, and in any retail establishments comply with each applicable provision of the FD&C Act and FDA’s implementing regulations. Failure to ensure full compliance with the FD&C Act may result in FDA initiating further action without notice, including, but not limited to, civil money penalties, no-tobacco-sale orders, criminal prosecution, seizure, and/or injunction. Please note that adulterated and misbranded tobacco products offered for import into the United States are subject to detention and refusal of admission.
Please submit a written response to this letter within 15 working days from the date of receipt describing your corrective actions, including the dates on which you discontinued the violative labeling, advertising, sale, and/or distribution of these tobacco products and your plan for maintaining compliance with the FD&C Act. If you do not believe that your products are in violation of the FD&C Act, include your reasoning and any supporting information for our consideration. You can find the FD&C Act through links on FDA’s homepage at http://www.fda.gov.
Please note your reference number, RW1901044, in your response and direct your response to the following address:
DPAL-WL Response, Office of Compliance and Enforcement
FDA Center for Tobacco Products
c/o Document Control Center
Building 71, Room G335
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
If you have any questions about the content of this letter, please contact Ele Ibarra-Pratt at (301) 796-9235 or via email at CTPCompliance@fda.hhs.gov.
Sincerely,
/S/
Ann Simoneau, J.D.
Director
Office of Compliance and Enforcement
Center for Tobacco Products
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