A bill giving tobacco regulatory authority to the FDA passed through the Senate on Thursday and is expected to breeze through the House and be signed into law shortly. Although the FDA will not be allowed to outlaw tobacco products under their new powers, they will have the authority to regulate the production and advertising aspects of the industry.
After this bill is passed, the FDA make such changes as: setting standards for nicotine content, banning flavorings that appeal to youths, and forcing makers to cut down on carcinogens in cigarettes in the coming years. Additionally, large graphic warning boxes will appear on packs of cigarettes and makers will no longer be allowed to use deceptive terms like “light” or “low-tar” in their advertising. Any costs associated with the new regulatory body would be offset by another tax increase on tobacco products.
Currently, about 20% of Americans are smokers, and nearly half a million die each year as a result. The federal government estimates that changes the FDA may implement will cut back youth smoking by 11% and adult smoking by 2% over the next ten years. The New York Times points out that, as of now, cigarettes are less regulated than cosmetics or pet food. It’s clearly time that regulation of tobacco, a deadly substance, catches up with that of other products. This new law represents a major change in the way the tobacco industry will be allowed to operate, and hopefully it will get us that much closer to driving smoking rates down to minuscule levels.
In the media, see: coverage by the Washington Post and this NY Times editorial.
