Under a 2009 tobacco-control law, the Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co.; ITG Brands and Sherman's 1400 Broadway N. Y. C., that it cannot market its tobacco products as addictive-free or natural.

Mitch Zeller, director of the agency's Center for Tobacco Products, has termed the action to be milestone. Zeller said, "The FDA's job is to ensure tobacco products are not marketed in a way that leads consumers to believe cigarettes with descriptors like 'additive-free' and 'natural' pose fewer health risks than other cigarettes, unless the claims have been scientifically supported".

On Thursday, all the three warning letters were made public. The FDA has stated that the manufacturers of the brands have not taken the agency's permission to claim that their products do not contain certain harmful substances. Also, they have not taken prior approval that their products pose less risk to consumers than other tobacco products.

As per the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, the FDA has the authority to regulate marketing claims. As per the 2009 law, the company has to submit a 'modified risk tobacco product' application and scientific evidence proving that their products is less harmful than others.

The FDA said it has not approved any such product(s). ITG Brands believes that its products comply with all the applicable state and federal regulations. All the three companies have 15 days to respond to the agency.