A Food and Drug Administration agreement with Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company to remove descriptions like “natural” and “additive free” from cigarette packs while retaining Natural American Spirit as a brand name has drawn fire from tobacco control activists.

A joint statement by Truth Initiative and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids criticised the agreement for allowing deceptive, health-related claims. "Our research shows that a majority of Natural American Spirit smokers incorrectly believe that their cigarettes are safer than other cigarettes. The truth is that they are just as dangerous as any other cigarette,” said Robin Koval, chief executive of Truth Initiative.
FDA warned Santa Fe in 2015 that use of “additive-free” and “natural” on product labelling represented a claim of reduced risk, which requires regulatory approval. The agreement came to light as part of a court filing in New Mexico. Santa Fe is a subsidiary of Reynolds American.