After 10+ years of stalled legislation, committees in both the House and Senate are moving forward in the coming weeks to approve legislation to give the FDA the power to regulate tobacco. The bills should come to votes on the floor of the House and Senate later this Spring or Summer.
The
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act would give the FDA the same authority to regulate tobacco products that it currently has to regulate foods and drugs. This means that the FDA would be responsible for approving all new tobacco products (but not products already on the market) and for regulating the levels of harmful ingredients in tobacco products.
The act would also strengthen the health warnings on tobacco products and prohibit the use of false claims in marketing, including "light" and "low tar." It would place stricter restrictions on the advertising of tobacco products.
Obama, Clinton, and McCain are all co-sponsors, but McCain is now backing away and hedging on his vote.
I think the legislation is long overdue.
So what do you think? A good bill? another bad example of government attempting to over regulate our personal lives?
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