Next Stop Obama: Tobacco Regulation Act Passes

WASHINGTON–Following yesterday’s 79-17 Senate vote on the
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, the House of
Representatives voted 307-97 today to concur in the Senate’s
amendments and send the historic bill to President Obama.
 
The legislation gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to
regulate cigarettes and other tobacco products. a battle it has
been waging since 1996 in an effort to deter youth smoking.
 
Although he smokes, Obama said he is eager to sign the bill.
“My administration is committed to protecting our children
and reforming our health care system—and moving forward with
common-sense tobacco control measures is an integral part of that
process,” he said in a statement.
 
The American Thoracic Society and the American Lung Association are
also vocal supporters of the bill. In a statement released
yesterday, ATS said its members believe enactment of the tobacco
bill is “the most effective way” to reduce tobacco use
in the U.S. and to improve respiratory health.
 
“This legislation offers us an unprecedented opportunity to
stop tobacco addiction before it starts by allowing the FDA to
ensure that tobacco products are not marketed to children and that
the tobacco industry is required to advertise these products
honestly,” said ATS President J. Randall Curtis, MD.
 
“Today marks an historic culmination of a more than 20-year
journey to provide the FDA urgently needed regulatory control over
the tobacco industry,” said Paul Billings, American Lung
Association vice president for policy and advocacy. “This
long overdue legislation will protect kids and reduce the terrible
human and financial burden caused by tobacco use in this
country.”
 
According to the COPD Foundation, nine out of 10 COPD-related
deaths are due to smoking.