Every day, new evidence emerges demonstrating how government overreach can stifle innovation and limit personal freedom. The latest example of this is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), where an inefficient and opaque review process for smoke-free nicotine products stands as a barricade to better public health and individual liberty for adults to make decisions for themselves. At the Pelican Institute, we’re committed to reversing government overreach, and it’s time for Washington to join us.

Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., with 28 million Americans still lighting up. The FDA and CTP acknowledge that it’s the combustion—not nicotine—that is the primary driver of smoking-related diseases. Yet, the CTP drags its feet, failing to authorize a robust market of smoke-free nicotine alternatives that could help millions. Federal law mandates that premarket tobacco product applications be reviewed within 180 days, but decisions often take years. In fact, since 2009, the CTP has received 26 million applications and approved fewer than 100. That’s not light-touch regulation—it’s a stranglehold.

Bureaucratic quagmires like these have a chilling effect on the free market. In fact, a Reagan-Udall Foundation report called out the CTP’s lack of transparency and poor communication, leaving businesses that invest in harm-reduction products stranded in uncertainty. The result? Fewer choices for adults who smoke and slower progress toward healthier outcomes.

See if this sounds familiar. The Trump Administration and Congress have a clear and urgent opportunity: reform the CTP, upend the deep state, and ensure the free market can thrive. Lawmakers should demand a streamlined review process and crystal-clear transparency. A regulatory framework that rewards competition and innovation will empower millions to access smoke-free products that could transform their lives. Louisiana’s congressional delegation, in particular, has an opportunity to lead the charge, championing policies that put personal freedom and public health first.

The best policy solutions are those that trust individuals and unleash markets. It’s time for the CTP to stop obstructing progress and start delivering on its responsibility. Let’s clear the way for innovation, expand choices, and build a future free from the heavy hand of bureaucracy.