PHARMACY AND TOBACCO

With the recognition that smoking begins in youth and that tobacco pro ducts are readily available to those under 18 years of age, new Food a nd Drug Administration (FDA) regulations restrict the sale, distributi on, promotion, and advertising of cigarettes to miners. The objective is to decrease the use of tobacco by young people and consequently red uce the future morbidity and mortality from tobacco. Pharmacists curre ntly have three choices with regard to the sale of tobacco in pharmaci es: display and sell tobacco products, refuse to sell tobacco products , or make tobacco products available but counsel on smoking cessation. Each choice, as well as the impact of the new FDA regulations on phar macy, is discussed.