Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

June 22, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) applauded President Obama for signing into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Senator Murray voted for the bill on June 11th, which passed the Senate 79-17. This law provides the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the authority to regulate tobacco products, protect families and consumers, and help smokers overcome their addiction.    » read more »

Remarks By The President At The Signing Of The Family Smoking Prevention And Tobacco Control Act

June 22, 2009 -- Rose Garden -- THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody, have a seat -- have a seat. I am thrilled to be here for what is I think an extraordinary accomplishment by this Congress, a bill we're about to sign into law.    » read more »

American Lung Association Poised to Help Smokers Quit

June 22, 2009 -- Statement of Stephen J. Nolan, American Lung Association National Board Chair:

Today, President Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (HR 1256) marking a historic day in our fight against lung disease. Finally, after a two-decade long battle, the American Lung Association can join our public health partners in heralding in the day when tobacco companies can no longer prey on America’s kids with deceitful advertising and candy flavored cigarettes.    » read more »

“Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act” promotes disease prevention and healthy lifestyles

June 22, 2009 -- Statement of J. James Rohack, MD, AMA President:

“As long-time advocates for strong regulation of the tobacco industry, the AMA is honored to stand with President Obama today as he signs the historic tobacco law. Today’s historic bill signing is a victory for public health over Big Tobacco.    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M., today applauded President Barack Obama for signing the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law. As New Mexico Attorney General, Udall successfully sued the tobacco industry and in Congress has been a strong proponent of legislation to allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products. Click here to see his speech from the Senate floor, urging passage of this bill.

“After more than a decade of fighting to protect children from tobacco,” said Udall, “I am pleased that this law paves the way for commonsense regulation of this dangerous product.”    » read more »

"Bill Includes Merkley Amendment to Place Dangerous Tobacco Candy Under Review"

June 22, 2009 --
Washington D.C. – Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley joined President Obama today at the signing ceremony for the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which allows the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products for the first time. The legislation includes an amendment from Senator Merkley and Senator Sherrod Brown (D – Ohio) that requires the new Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee to immediately study the public health effects of tobacco candy and report to the FDA on its findings.

After the signing ceremony, Merkley released the following statement:    » read more »

Will Improve Health, Protect Children; Long-Time Senate Leader on Anti-Tobacco Efforts Hails President Obama's Signing Legislation into Law

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama today signed into law legislation Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) cosponsored to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate the sale and distribution of tobacco products, and prevent cigarette makers from targeting children in their advertising and marketing and making false claims to the public.

The New Jersey Senator is a longtime Senate leader in the fight against Big Tobacco.    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, today released the following statement praising the signing of H.R. 1256, legislation to empower the FDA to regulate tobacco products:

“Today is a day for special celebration as President Obama signs into law this long-overdue authority for FDA to regulate tobacco products. Decade after decade, Big Tobacco has seduced millions of teenagers into lifetimes of addiction and premature death. Enactment of this legislation will finally put a stop to that. It is truly a life-saving act, and a welcome demonstration that this Congress is capable of enacting major health reform.”

Source: Senator Edward M. Kennedy

Legislation Will Protect Children and Families from Targeted Advertising and Harms for Smoking

June 22, 2009 -- Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and Chairman Edward Kennedy’s chief deputy for health care reform, joined President Obama today as he signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law. Dodd introduced the bill with Chairman Edward Kennedy and shepherded it through committee consideration and debate on the Senate floor.

* For photos from the signing, please click here.    » read more »

Law Includes Brown's Amendment on Smokeless 'Tobacco Candy' Products

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today attended the White House bill signing ceremony of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The legislation includes an amendment authored by Brown and Sen. Jeff Merkley that will protect consumers from smokeless ‘tobacco candy’ products. In response to today’s bill signing, Brown issued the following statement:    » read more »

June 4, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mark Udall urged his colleagues to support bipartisan legislation designed to reduce the number of kids who get hooked on smoking, help smokers overcome their addiction, and make tobacco products less toxic.

In a speech submitted for the Congressional Record, Udall said that by preventing new smokers from becoming addicted, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act being debated in the Senate this week would help lower health care costs and promote wellness – two of the biggest hurdles facing the American health care system today.    » read more »

Schumer Pushes Legislation To Prevent Tobacco Companies From Targeting Young Smokers And Require Stringent Warnings On The Dangers Of Cigarettes

June 3, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today revealed that, due in part to tobacco ads targeted at minors, 79,800 children from New York State will have their first cigarette this year and 23,900 of them will become regular smokers. In order to combat the problem, Senator Schumer announced that he is pushing legislation, introduced by Senator Ted Kennedy, which has been 15 years in the making, to prevent tobacco companies from targeting underage smokers with advertisements and products.    » read more »

June 3, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- In an effort to curb smoking, improve public health, and save billions of taxpayer dollars each year, the U.S. Senate is currently debating the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, legislation long supported by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products and prohibit misleading tobacco advertisements.    » read more »

June 3, 2009 -- Washington – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln urged her colleagues to support legislation that will implement much-needed marketing restrictions on tobacco companies that target children.    » read more »

Holds Press Conference to Discuss the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

June 3, 2009 -- Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and Chairman Edward Kennedy’s chief deputy for health care reform, held a press conference today with Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Jack Reed (D-RI) to discuss the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Dodd was also joined by Matt Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.    » read more »