Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids - Need for FDA Regulation of Tobacco..

February 17, 2009 - Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids when commented on the CDC analysis to assess the cigarette brand preferences among middle school and high school students, need to pass legislation to have the FDA regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sales of tobacco products.

Myers writes: Congress can protect our nation's children by granting the FDA authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products. This bill would impose specific restrictions on tobacco marketing that appeals to children. It would limit tobacco advertising in stores and in magazines with significant teen readership to black-and-white text only, eliminating the colorful images that depict smoking as cool and glamorous. It would ban outdoor tobacco advertising near schools and playgrounds, end tobacco sponsorships of sports and entertainment events, and require stores to place tobacco products behind the counter. The bill would also grant the FDA and the states authority to further limit tobacco marketing.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (TFK) worked very closely with Philip Morris USA (PM), to produce this legislation. You can say the Campaign TFK got in bed with the enemy. Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-WY) said it best, "Poison peddlers shouldn’t get to decide how we as responsible legislators fight the war against their deadly products."

Regulation of the tobacco industry is absolutely necessary but let's do it RIGHT this time. It's time to take another look with less input from the major company Altria controls over half of the U.S. tobacco market congress is trying to regulate. Mr. Myers has even said, “The election of Barack Obama changes everything.” Prior to approval of this legislation PM is working to circumvent the law. Citi bank tells shareholders that if the FDA begins to regulate the tobacco industry, it would make little difference. Many concessions have been granted to get tobacco companies to buy into this legislation weakening the bill even further. UST Inc. (now owned by Altria Group, Inc, the parent of PM), the biggest U.S. maker of smokeless tobacco products and the North American unit of Swedish Match AB which also sells smokeless tobacco announced they would support the bill. The bill was amended to give smokeless companies the ability to give away free samples to adults under limited circumstances which hadn't been allowed in earlier versions of the bill.


Archive of Supporting Documentation: February 2009 - legislation FDA to regulate tobacco..; FDA Regulation Likely for Tobacco - Let's Do It RIGHT..; President--Elect Barack Obama and Tobacco..; Revise Senate's Version FDA Tobacco Regulation Bill..; FDA tobacco regulation - bill distorted in current form..; AWMA urges grassroots effort to defeat FDA tobacco regulation and SCHIP.."; More - Lorillard-Newport - FDA proposed tobacco regulation..; FDA Tobacco Regulation Bill Overwhelmingly Passed U.S. House..; House to Vote on FDA Regulation of Tobacco..; Bush administration opposes legislation to give FDA authority to regulate tobacco products...; With U.S. FDA tobacco regulations on the horizon Altria already preparing to circumvent the law..; Public health experts are questioning why menthol flavoring in cigarettes, received special protection as Congress tries to regulate tobacco..; Lorillard Tobacco opposes US FDA bill to regulate tobacco..; FDA regulation moves a step closer..; On Tuesday April 1, 1970 President Richard Nixon signed a measure banning cigarette advertising on radio and television, to take effect in January 1,..; FDA regulatory control tobacco bill is voted forward..; Reject Proposed Legislation That Would Add Responsibility For Tobacco Regulation to the FDA..; FDA Head: 'No' to Tobacco Cigarettes too "inherently dangerous" to regulate; would "undermine mission."; Federal tobacco regulation backed...; On July 18, 2007, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee postponed a vote on the bill - which would for the first time allow...

Reference: New CDC Study Shows Tobacco Marketing Influences Kids to Smoke, Underscores Need for FDA Regulation of Tobacco Products", Campaign for TFK - Matthew Myers, 2/17/2009.