Mr. Bill's Pipe & Tobacco Company

House Votes to Let FDA Regulate Tobacco Industry

House Votes to Let FDA Regulate Tobacco Industry By Rob Stein Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, July 31, 2008; Page A02 The House approved legislation yesterday that would for the first time empower the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the tobacco industry, a measure long sought by anti-smoking advocates. After about 40 minutes of sometimes passionate debate, the House voted 326 to 102 to approve the measure, which would give the agency broad authority over cigarette makers, including the power to ban marketing of cigarettes to children, require disclosure of tobacco ingredients and mandate larger, more specific health warnings. It would also enable the agency to require tobacco companies to reduce or eliminate harmful ingredients and ban candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes.   Proponents hailed the approval as a historic and crucial step in the effort to drive down smoking rates in the United States. "The tobacco industry has thrived on the business of addiction for decades by turning children into tobacco users with slick marketing tactics and misleading the public about the harms of its deadly products," said John R. Seffrin, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. While the measure is supported by Philip Morris USA -- the nation's biggest cigarette maker -- it is opposed by the rest of the tobacco industry. Administration officials argue that tobacco regulation would be too much of a burden for the already stretched FDA. In addition, officials have expressed concern that it could jeopardize international trade agreements by banning some imported cigarettes. THIS IS BULL!!  THIS IS NOT ABOUT CHILDREN.  Our stores are constatly montiterd by the GOVERNMENT that we don't sell to minors!!  This is all about controlling YOU!!! WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT OUR SMOKING IS GOING TO BE REGULATED BY A GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT CAUSED MILLIONS OF DOLLORS OF LOSS TO THE TOMATO INDUSTRY THIS SUMMER WHEN THE CAUSE OF THE SAMONILA OUTBREAK WAS NOT TOMATOES!! THOSE OF US WHO ENJOY A FAVOURED CIGARETTE OR CIGAR, A CLOVE CIGARETTE OR A FLAVORED CIGARETTE PAPER WILL SOON BE OUT OF LUCK!!  THE FDA IS PLANNING ON BANNING ALL OF THE ABOVE!!  Call your Senator - Congressman - Govenor - let them know that the FDA SHOULD NOT TAKE OVER REGULATION OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY!!!!

This article was published on Monday 04 August, 2008.