The committee acknowledged that its recommendations to impose greater restrictions on tobacco advertising may not survive a challenge on First Amendment grounds. However, the report argues that restricting companies' ability to encourage smoking while still enabling them to relay information about the characteristics of their products to consumers satisfies the constitutional rights of the industry and consumers.

As a long-term strategy, the report also recommends that FDA look into developing a plan to gradually reduce the nicotine content of cigarettes and thereby decrease their addictive power. The committee noted that this proposal requires further investigation and careful assessment before it is implemented, but said it offers a reasonable prospect of making it easier for smokers to quit and to decrease the likelihood that youthful or casual smokers would progress to regular smoking.