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• Groups petition FTC for Eclipse regulation 

The nation's top public-health organizations have asked the Food and Drug Administration to regulate Eclipse, the product that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is marketing as a less-risky cigarette.

Twenty-two groups, including the American Cancer Society and American Medical Association, sent an Aug. 1 petition to the FDA stating that Eclipse is a nicotine-delivery system, not a cigarette, making it eligible for government regulation. Cigarettes are exempt from any regulation. The FDA should therefore oversee its sale, marketing and distribution, especially since RJR began saying in April that Eclipse is less hazardous to smokers' health, the petition says.

''I'm concerned people will switch to Eclipse falsely believing it's been proven it will reduce their risk of disease,'' said Matthew Myers, the president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, who wrote the letter. ''It is precisely these types of claims the FDA protects the American public against.'' . .

''The claim that Eclipse may present smokers with less risk of cancer, chronic bronchitis and possibly emphysema is fully supported by extensive scientific research,'' Moskowitz said.

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The claim that Eclipse may present smokers with less risk of cancer, chronic bronchitis and possibly emphysema is fully supported by extensive scientific research. . . The calls for this (FDA) regulation come from the belief of some groups that 45 million adult Americans who choose to smoke should not have the option of purchasing and smoking cigarettes that may present less risk.
RJR spokesman Seth Moskowitz, on health groups' petition for FDA regulation of Eclipse. Zawada, A., <I>Groups petition FTC (sic) for Eclipse regulation</I>