The tobacco companies will be required to list all harmful ingredients on cigarette packs, the U. S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has announced.

The food and drug regulator also said the tobacco industry will also be asked to back up any of their claims of "safer" tobacco products. It may be noted here that many tobacco companies claim that their products, like smokeless cigarette, are harmless.

The regulator wants tobacco companies to list quantities of twenty different ingredients that can cause health problems, such as cancer and lung disease, on consumer-friendly packaging by April 2013.

However, both of the requirements are preliminary at this point of time, and are subject to public comment.

Dr. Lawrence Deyton, director of Center for Tobacco Products at the FDA, said, "Products can't be marketed as reducing risks unless that claim is supported by science."

Out of more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco, the FDA has a list of ninety-three chemicals, including arsenic, ammonia, cadmium, nicotine, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde, which can cause harm to smokers as well as non-smokers.