Title 21, Food and DrugsRelease 119-110
§387f General Provisions Respecting Control of Tobacco Products
Title 21 › CHAPTER 9 — FEDERAL FOOD, DRUG, AND COSMETIC ACT › SUBCHAPTER IX — TOBACCO PRODUCTS › § 387f
Summary
Rules already put on a tobacco product under sections 387b, 387c, 387e, or 387i keep applying until they are changed by actions under sections 387g, 387j, 387k, or subsection (d). If a new rule from those actions conflicts with an older rule, the new one controls. When the government proposes rules or takes related actions under those sections, the notice must tell people how to see the data behind the action and must allow public comment for at least 60 days and no more than 90 days unless the Secretary publishes a reason to extend the time. Information that is exempt from public disclosure under the FOIA trade-secret provision must be kept confidential, and can only be shared with government staff working on these laws or used in legal proceedings about them. The Secretary can make rules to limit sale, distribution, advertising, and promotion of tobacco to protect public health. Those choices must consider the risks and benefits for the whole population, including whether current users will quit or nonusers will start. The Secretary cannot require sales to be only by prescription. Labels must show any required restriction statements. Rules may not ban face-to-face sales by a whole category of retailers or set a sales age above 21. Matchbooks of usual size with up to 20 matches that are given free with tobacco are treated like adult publications unless the Secretary says otherwise. For remote (non–face-to-face) sales, the Secretary had to issue age-verification rules within 18 months after June 22, 2009, and marketing rules within 2 years after that date. It is illegal for any retailer to sell tobacco to anyone under 21. The Secretary must also set manufacturing rules (good manufacturing practice or HACCP) to protect public health, may test raw tobacco for pesticide residues, and must give the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee time to review and hold a hearing before finalizing such rules. Small manufacturers get at least 4 years after the rule’s effective date before they must comply. Parties can petition for exemptions or variances; the Secretary must act on petitions within 60 days and the advisory committee must report within 60 days if asked. Compliance with these manufacturing rules was not required before the end of the 3-year period after June 22, 2009. The Secretary may also contract for research and obtain tobacco for testing.
Full Legal Text
Title 21, §387f
Food and Drugs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)In general
Any requirement established by or under section 387b, 387c, 387e, or 387i of this title applicable to a tobacco product shall apply to such tobacco product until the applicability of the requirement to the tobacco product has been changed by action taken under section 387g of this title, section 387j of this title, section 387k of this title, or subsection (d) of this section, and any requirement established by or under section 387b, 387c, 387e, or 387i of this title which is inconsistent with a requirement imposed on such tobacco product under section 387g of this title, section 387j of this title, section 387k of this title, or subsection (d) of this section shall not apply to such tobacco product.
(b)Information on public access and comment
Each notice of proposed rulemaking or other notification under section 387g, 387h, 387i, 387j, or 387k of this title or under this section, any other notice which is published in the Federal Register with respect to any other action taken under any such section and which states the reasons for such action, and each publication of findings required to be made in connection with rulemaking under any such section shall set forth—
(1)the manner in which interested persons may examine data and other information on which the notice or findings is based; and
(2)the period within which interested persons may present their comments on the notice or findings (including the need therefore) orally or in writing, which period shall be at least 60 days but may not exceed 90 days unless the time is extended by the Secretary by a notice published in the Federal Register stating good cause therefore.
(c)Limited confidentiality of information
Any information reported to or otherwise obtained by the Secretary or the Secretary’s representative under section 387c, 387d, 387g, 387h, 387i, 387j, 387k, or 374 of this title, or under subsection (e) or (f) of this section, which is exempt from disclosure under subsection (a) of section 552 of title 5 by reason of subsection (b)(4) of that section shall be considered confidential and shall not be disclosed, except that the information may be disclosed to other officers or employees concerned with carrying out this subchapter, or when relevant in any proceeding under this subchapter.
(d)Restrictions
(1)In general
The Secretary may by regulation require restrictions on the sale and distribution of a tobacco product, including restrictions on the access to, and the advertising and promotion of, the tobacco product, if the Secretary determines that such regulation would be appropriate for the protection of the public health. The Secretary may by regulation impose restrictions on the advertising and promotion of a tobacco product consistent with and to full extent permitted by the first amendment to the Constitution. The finding as to whether such regulation would be appropriate for the protection of the public health shall be determined with respect to the risks and benefits to the population as a whole, including users and nonusers of the tobacco product, and taking into account—
(A)the increased or decreased likelihood that existing users of tobacco products will stop using such products; and
(B)the increased or decreased likelihood that those who do not use tobacco products will start using such products.
No such regulation may require that the sale or distribution of a tobacco product be limited to the written or oral authorization of a practitioner licensed by law to prescribe medical products.
(2)Label statements
The label of a tobacco product shall bear such appropriate statements of the restrictions required by a regulation under subsection (a) as the Secretary may in such regulation prescribe.
(3)Limitations
(A)In general
No restrictions under paragraph (1) may—
(i)prohibit the sale of any tobacco product in face-to-face transactions by a specific category of retail outlets; or
(ii)establish a minimum age of sale of tobacco products to any person older than 21 years of age.
(B)Matchbooks
For purposes of any regulations issued by the Secretary, matchbooks of conventional size containing not more than 20 paper matches, and which are customarily given away for free with the purchase of tobacco products, shall be considered as adult-written publications which shall be permitted to contain advertising. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the Secretary finds that such treatment of matchbooks is not appropriate for the protection of the public health, the Secretary may determine by regulation that matchbooks shall not be considered adult-written publications.
(4)Remote sales
(A)In general
The Secretary shall—
(i)within 18 months after June 22, 2009, promulgate regulations regarding the sale and distribution of tobacco products that occur through means other than a direct, face-to-face exchange between a retailer and a consumer in order to prevent the sale and distribution of tobacco products to individuals who have not attained the minimum age established by applicable law for the purchase of such products, including requirements for age verification; and
(ii)within 2 years after June 22, 2009, issue regulations to address the promotion and marketing of tobacco products that are sold or distributed through means other than a direct, face-to-face exchange between a retailer and a consumer in order to protect individuals who have not attained the minimum age established by applicable law for the purchase of such products.
(B)Relation to other authority
Nothing in this paragraph limits the authority of the Secretary to take additional actions under the other paragraphs of this subsection.
(5)Minimum age of sale
It shall be unlawful for any retailer to sell a tobacco product to any person younger than 21 years of age.
(e)Good manufacturing practice requirements
(1)Methods, facilities, and controls to conform
(A)In general
In applying manufacturing restrictions to tobacco, the Secretary shall, in accordance with subparagraph (B), prescribe regulations (which may differ based on the type of tobacco product involved) requiring that the methods used in, and the facilities and controls used for, the manufacture, preproduction design validation (including a process to assess the performance of a tobacco product), packing, and storage of a tobacco product conform to current good manufacturing practice, or hazard analysis and critical control point methodology, as prescribed in such regulations to assure that the public health is protected and that the tobacco product is in compliance with this subchapter. Such regulations may provide for the testing of raw tobacco for pesticide chemical residues regardless of whether a tolerance for such chemical residues has been established.
(B)Requirements
The Secretary shall—
(i)before promulgating any regulation under subparagraph (A), afford the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee an opportunity to submit recommendations with respect to the regulation proposed to be promulgated;
(ii)before promulgating any regulation under subparagraph (A), afford opportunity for an oral hearing;
(iii)provide the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee a reasonable time to make its recommendation with respect to proposed regulations under subparagraph (A);
(iv)in establishing the effective date of a regulation promulgated under this subsection, take into account the differences in the manner in which the different types of tobacco products have historically been produced, the financial resources of the different tobacco product manufacturers, and the state of their existing manufacturing facilities, and shall provide for a reasonable period of time for such manufacturers to conform to good manufacturing practices; and
(v)not require any small tobacco product manufacturer to comply with a regulation under subparagraph (A) for at least 4 years following the effective date established by the Secretary for such regulation.
(2)Exemptions; variances
(A)Petition
Any person subject to any requirement prescribed under paragraph (1) may petition the Secretary for a permanent or temporary exemption or variance from such requirement. Such a petition shall be submitted to the Secretary in such form and manner as the Secretary shall prescribe and shall—
(i)in the case of a petition for an exemption from a requirement, set forth the basis for the petitioner’s determination that compliance with the requirement is not required to assure that the tobacco product will be in compliance with this subchapter;
(ii)in the case of a petition for a variance from a requirement, set forth the methods proposed to be used in, and the facilities and controls proposed to be used for, the manufacture, packing, and storage of the tobacco product in lieu of the methods, facilities, and controls prescribed by the requirement; and
(iii)contain such other information as the Secretary shall prescribe.
(B)Referral to the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee
The Secretary may refer to the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee any petition submitted under subparagraph (A). The Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee shall report its recommendations to the Secretary with respect to a petition referred to it within 60 days after the date of the petition’s referral. Within 60 days after—
(i)the date the petition was submitted to the Secretary under subparagraph (A); or
(ii)the day after the petition was referred to the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee,
whichever occurs later, the Secretary shall by order either deny the petition or approve it.
(C)Approval
The Secretary may approve—
(i)a petition for an exemption for a tobacco product from a requirement if the Secretary determines that compliance with such requirement is not required to assure that the tobacco product will be in compliance with this subchapter; and
(ii)a petition for a variance for a tobacco product from a requirement if the Secretary determines that the methods to be used in, and the facilities and controls to be used for, the manufacture, packing, and storage of the tobacco product in lieu of the methods, facilities, and controls prescribed by the requirement are sufficient to assure that the tobacco product will be in compliance with this subchapter.
(D)Conditions
An order of the Secretary approving a petition for a variance shall prescribe such conditions respecting the methods used in, and the facilities and controls used for, the manufacture, packing, and storage of the tobacco product to be granted the variance under the petition as may be necessary to assure that the tobacco product will be in compliance with this subchapter.
(E)Hearing
After the issuance of an order under subparagraph (B) respecting a petition, the petitioner shall have an opportunity for an informal hearing on such order.
(3)Compliance
Compliance with requirements under this subsection shall not be required before the end of the 3-year period following June 22, 2009.
(f)Research and development
The Secretary may enter into contracts for research, testing, and demonstrations respecting tobacco products and may obtain tobacco products for research, testing, and demonstration purposes.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 906 of act June 25, 1938, was renumbered section 1006 and is classified to section 396 of this title.
Amendments
2019—Subsec. (d)(3)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 116–94, § 603(a)(1), substituted “21 years” for “18 years”. Subsec. (d)(5). Pub. L. 116–94, § 603(a)(2), added par. (5).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Regulations
Pub. L. 116–94, div. N, title I, § 603(b), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3123, provided that: “(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019], the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’) shall publish in the Federal Register a final rule to update the
Regulations
issued under chapter IX of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 387 et seq.) as appropriate, only to carry out the
Amendments
made by subsection (a) [amending this section], including to update all references to persons younger than 18 years of age in subpart B of part 1140 of title 21, Code of Federal
Regulations
, and to update the relevant age verification requirements under such part 1140 to require age verification for individuals under the age of 30. Such final rule shall—“(A) take full effect not later than 90 days after the date on which such final rule is published; and “(B) be deemed to be in compliance with all applicable provisions of chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code[,] and all other provisions of law relating to rulemaking procedures. “(2) Other
Regulations
.—Prior to making
Amendments
to part 1140 of title 21, Code of Federal
Regulations
[,] other than the
Amendments
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall promulgate a proposed rule in accordance with chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code.” Modification of Deadlines for Secretarial ActionWith respect to any time periods specified in an amendment by div. A of Pub. L. 111–31 that begin on June 22, 2009, within which the Secretary of Health and Human Services is required to carry out and complete specified activities, with certain limitations, the calculation of such time periods shall commence on the first day of the first fiscal quarter following the initial 2 consecutive fiscal quarters of fiscal year 2010 for which the Secretary has collected fees under section 387s of this title, and the Secretary may extend or reduce the duration of one or more such time periods, except that no such period shall be extended for more than 90 days, see section 6 of Pub. L. 111–31, set out as a note under section 387 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
21 U.S.C. § 387f
Title 21, Food and Drugs
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110