Shares in cigarette companies were little moved after the White House confirmed plans to limit nicotine levels in cigarettes and other tobacco products in the US.
The new rules are anticipated to be implemented by May next year.
The aim is to try and help smokers quit and help prevent young people from becoming addicted, a release from the White House stated.
Limiting nicotine would make tobacco products minimally- or non-addictive, the US medical regulator said.
"Addiction to nicotine in combusted products is the main driver of sustained use of these products,” the US Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.
The regulator said that research showed more than half of adult cigarette smokers make a serious quit attempt each year, but most do not succeed “due to the addictive nature of cigarettes”, which comes from the nicotine.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in the statement: "Nicotine is powerfully addictive. Lowering nicotine levels to minimally addictive or non-addictive levels would decrease the likelihood that future generations of young people become addicted to cigarettes and help more currently addicted smokers to quit."
Shares in Imperial Brands PLC (LSE:IMB) fell less than 1% in London on Wednesday morning and British American Tobacco PLC (LSE:BATS) rose around 0.1%, yesterday Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE:PM) rose 2% and Altria Group, Inc. added0.9%.