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WARNING LETTER

http://www.snuffstore.co.uk MARCS-CMS 523680 —

Recipient:
http://www.snuffstore.co.uk

United States

Issuing Office:
Center for Tobacco Products

United States

  

Department of Health and Human Services logo

 
 
Center for Tobacco Products
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993 

 

APR 28, 2017
VIA Electronic Mail                 
 
Snuff Store
http://www.snuffstore.co.uk
snuffstorecs@snuffstore.co.uk
 
 
WARNING LETTER
 
The Center for Tobacco Products of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently reviewed the website http://www.snuffstore.co.uk and determined that the e-liquid, pipe tobacco, and 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 e-liquids, pipe tobacco, and 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 your Encore French Roast e-liquid, St. Bruno Ready Rubbed pipe tobacco, and Thunder Frosted Chew Bags smokeless tobacco are misbranded under section 903(a)(7)(B) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(7)(B)) because you sold these productsto a person younger than 18 years of age. Additionally, FDA has 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 webpages regarding smokeless tobacco products fail to include health warning label statements.
 
Sales to Minors Violations
 
FDA’s investigation of the website http://www.snuffstore.co.uk revealed that you sold an e-liquid product to a minor. Specifically, during our investigation of http://www.snuffstore.co.uk, a person younger than 18 years of age purchased Encore French Roast e-liquid, St. Bruno Ready Rubbed pipe tobacco, and Thunder Frosted Chew Bags smokeless tobacco from the 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).  No retailer may sell covered tobacco products, including e-liquid, cigar, pipe tobacco, waterpipe tobacco, and dissolvable tobacco products, as well as electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products that contain any tobacco derivative, to a person younger than 18 years of age under 21 C.F.R. § 1140.14(b). Under 21 C.F.R. § 1140.3, a “covered tobacco product” is defined as any tobacco product deemed to be subject to chapter IX of the FD&C Act by 21 C.F.R. § 1100.2, excluding components or parts not made or derived from tobacco. Before 21 C.F.R. § 1100.2 became effective, only cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and cigarette tobacco were subject to chapter IX of the FD&C Act. 21 C.F.R. § 1100.2 deems all other tobacco products, except accessories of such tobacco products, subject to chapter IX and its implementing regulations. The products cited in this violation are “covered tobacco products.” 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 these products are sold or distributed to persons younger than 18 years of age in violation of 21 C.F.R. § 1140.14(a) and 21 C.F.R. § 1140.14(b), these products are misbranded under section 903(a)(7)(B) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(7)(B)).  
 
Health Warning Statement Violations
 
Our review of the website http://www.snuffstore.co.uk revealed that several smokeless tobacco products that you offer for sale or distribute in the United States do not include any health warning statements, for example: Beechnut Original Chew, Beechnut Wintergreen Chew, Dean Swift Snuff, Dean Swift Wallflower, Havana Blossom Chew, Kayak Wintergreen Fine Cut, Levi Garret Chew, QSnuff Jasmine, Redman Golden Blend, Redman Original, Redman Wintergreen Long Cut, Rockit Cherry Pop, Rockit Fuel Lemon, Rockit Fuel Orange, Rockit Ice Cool, Trophy Chew, W.E. Garret Scotch Snuff, Railroad Mills Sweet Scotch Snuff, Buttercup Sweet Scotch Snuff, Dixie Sweet Snuff, Honey Bee Sweet Snuff, Lorillard Sweet Snuff, Navy Plain Scotch Snuff, Ralph’s Snuff, Society Snuff, Thistle Sweet Snuff, Tops Sweet Snuff, Wild Cherry Snuff, Three Thistle Strong Scotch Snuff, Bruton Scotch Snuff, Red Seal Sweet Snuff, and Rooster Snuff. 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 (P.L. 111-31, 123 Stat. 1846), 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 webpages regarding smokeless tobacco products do not include any health warnings, your 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)).   
 
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. 
 
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), and in any other media in which you advertise 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. You can find the FD&C Act through links on FDA’s homepage at http://www.fda.gov.
 
Please note your reference number, RW1700713, 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
 
VIA Electronic Mail     
 
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