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 Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-D-0350]
 AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
 ACTION: Notice.
 SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the 
                        **Federal Register**
                         concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection provisions associated with “Tobacco Retailer Training Programs.”
 DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on the collection of information by July 5, 2022.
 ADDRESSES: You may submit comments as follows. Please note that late, untimely filed comments will not be considered. Electronic comments must be submitted on or before July 5, 2022. The 
                        *https://www.regulations.gov*
                         electronic filing system will accept comments until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time at the end of July 5, 2022. Comments received by mail/hand delivery/courier (for written/paper submissions) will be considered timely if they are postmarked or the delivery service acceptance receipt is on or before that date. Electronic Submissions Submit electronic comments in the following way: *Federal eRulemaking Portal:**https://www.regulations.gov.*
                     Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to 
                    *https://www.regulations.gov*
                     will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone else's Social Security number, or confidential business information, such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in the body of your comments, that information will be posted on 
                    *https://www.regulations.gov.*
If you want to submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner detailed (see “Written/Paper Submissions” and “Instructions”). Written/Paper Submissions Submit written/paper submissions as follows: *Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier (for written/paper submissions):*
                     Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
For written/paper comments submitted to the Dockets Management Staff, FDA will post your comment, as well as any attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified, as confidential, if submitted as detailed in “Instructions.” *Instructions:*
                     All submissions received must include the Docket No. FDA-2010-D-0350 for “Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Tobacco Retailer Training Programs.” Received comments, those filed in a timely manner (see 
                    **ADDRESSES**
                    ), will be placed in the docket and, except for those submitted as “Confidential Submissions,” publicly viewable at 
                    *https://www.regulations.gov*
                     or at the Dockets Management Staff between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 240-402-7500. Confidential Submissions—To submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly available, submit your comments only as a written/paper submission. You should submit two copies total. One copy will include the information you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note that states “THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.” The Agency will review this copy, including the claimed confidential information, in its consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be available for public viewing and posted on*https://www.regulations.gov.*
                     Submit both copies to the Dockets Management Staff. If you do not wish your name and contact information to be made publicly available, you can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body of your comments and you must identify this information as “confidential.” Any information marked as “confidential” will not be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA's posting of comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access the information at: 
                    *https://www.govinfo.gov/​content/​pkg/​FR-2015-09-18/​pdf/​2015-23389.pdf.* *Docket:*
                     For access to the docket to read background documents or the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to 
                    *https://www.regulations.gov*
                     and insert the docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into the “Search” box and follow the prompts 
                    ( print page 26767)
                    and/or go to the Dockets Management Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852, 240-402-7500.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Showalter, Office of Operations, Food and Drug Administration, Three White Flint North, 10A-12M, 11601 Landsdown St., North Bethesda, MD 20852, 240-994-7399, 
                        *PRAStaff@fda.hhs.gov.*


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), Federal Agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires Federal Agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the 
                    **Federal Register**
                     concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document. With respect to the following collection of information, FDA invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of information technology. Tobacco Retailer Training Programs OMB Control Number 0910-0745—Extension Tobacco products are governed by chapter IX of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (sections 900 through 920) (21 U.S.C. 387 through 21 U.S.C. 387u). The FDA intends to issue regulations establishing standards for approved tobacco retailer training programs under section 906(d) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 387f(d)). In the interim, FDA published a guidance document which can be downloaded at 
                    *https://www.fda.gov/​regulatory-information/​search-fda-guidance-documents/​tobacco-retailer-training-programs.*
                     The guidance is intended to assist tobacco retailers to voluntarily implement effective training programs for employees. The guidance discusses recommended elements that should be covered in a training program, such as: (1) Federal laws restricting the access to, and the advertising and promotion of, cigarettes, smokeless, and covered tobacco products; (2) the health and economic effects of tobacco use, especially when the tobacco use begins at a young age; (3) written company policies against sales to youth and other restrictions on the access to, and the advertising and promotion of, tobacco products; (4) identification of the tobacco products sold in the retail establishment that are subject to the Federal laws and regulations prohibiting their sale to underage persons; (5) age verification methods; (6) practical guidelines for refusing sales; and (7) testing to ensure that employees have the required knowledge. The guidance recommends that retailers require current and new employees to take a written test prior to selling tobacco products and that refresher training be provided at least annually and more frequently as needed. The guidance recommends that retailers maintain certain written records documenting that all individual employees have been trained and that retailers retain these records for 4 years in order to be able to provide evidence of a training program during the 48-month time period covered by the civil money penalty schedules outlined in the law. The guidance also recommends that retailers implement certain hiring and management practices as part of an effective retailer training program. The guidance suggests that applicants and current employees be notified both verbally and in writing of the importance of complying with laws prohibiting the sales of tobacco products to underage persons. In addition, FDA recommends that retailers implement an internal compliance check program and document the procedures and corrective actions for the program. FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as follows: Table 1—Estimated Annual Reporting Burden 1
Activity; guidance section IV
Number of
                             respondents
Number of
                             responses per 
                             respondent
Total
                             annual 
                             responses
Average
                             burden per 
                             response
Total hoursDevelop training program
79,700
1
79,700
16
1,275,200Develop written policy against sales to youth and employee acknowledgement
79,700
1
79,700
1
79,700Develop internal compliance check program
79,700
1
79,700
8
637,600Total




1,992,5001
                         There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.
 
 
 Table 2—Estimated Annual Recordkeeping Burden 1
Activity; guidance section IV
Number of
                             recordkeepers
Number of
                             records per 
                             recordkeeper
Total
                             annual 
                             records
Average
                             burden per 
                             recordkeeper
Total hoursTraining program
79,700
4
318,800
0.25 (15 minutes)
79,700Written policy against sales to youth and employee acknowledgement
79,700
4
318,800
0.10 (6 minutes)
31,880Internal compliance check program
79,700
2
159,400
0.5 (30 minutes)
79,700Total




191,2801
                         There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.
 FDA's estimate of the number of respondents in tables 1 and 2 is based on data from the deeming rule Final Regulatory Impact Analysis,[1]
                    
                     which showed there are an estimated 362,273 retail establishments that currently sell tobacco products. The Agency reviewed these numbers again for this notice, and believe they are an accurate estimation. We assume that 75 percent of tobacco retailers already have some sort of age and identification verification training program in place. We expect that some of those retailer training programs already meet the elements in the guidance, some retailers would update their training program to meet the elements in the guidance, and other retailers would develop a training program for the first time. Thus, we estimate that two-thirds of tobacco retailers would develop a training program that meets the elements in the guidance (66 percent of 362,273 = 239,100; then annualized to 79,700). We have adjusted our burden estimate and the number of respondents, which has resulted in a decrease to the currently approved burden and respondent count. This adjustment is based on available data estimating the number of retail establishments that sell tobacco products in the United States. Additionally, the burden chart was updated to reflect a change from an estimation over the course of 3 years to annualized burden. Dated: April 28, 2022. Lauren K. Roth, Associate Commissioner for Policy.


# Footnotes

1.
    
                         Deeming Tobacco Products to be Subject to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as Amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act: Final Regulatory Impact Analysis, 2016 
                        *https://www.fda.gov/​downloads/​AboutFDA/​ReportsManualsForms/​Reports/​EconomicAnalyses/​UCM500254.pdf.* Back to Citation


[FR Doc. 2022-09628 Filed 5-4-22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4164-01-P