Zeller credited Gottlieb for advocating for the nicotine regulation within the Trump White House, after the Obama administration had fallen short. Obama officials had promised Zeller they would back rules to curb nicotine and menthol.

Officials proposed limiting the amount of nicotine to make cigarettes less addictive, but it's unclear if the incoming administration will offer support.

The US Food and Drug Administration is proposing limits on the level of nicotine in cigarettes and some other types of tobacco products, such as cigars and pipe tobacco, in order to make them less addictive,