Tobacco

Oct. 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- Smoking bans are effective at reducing the risk of heart attacks and heart disease associated with exposure to secondhand smoke, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The report also confirms there is sufficient evidence that breathing secondhand smoke boosts nonsmokers' risk for heart problems, adding that indirect evidence indicating that even relatively brief exposures could lead to a heart attack is compelling.    » read more »

Sept. 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, eleven public health and consumer advocacy organizations filed a friend of the court (amicus) brief asking a federal court to reject a lawsuit by R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard and other tobacco companies that seeks to block key provisions of the new federal law regulating tobacco products. The immediate issue before the court is the industry’s challenge of a provision that requires FDA approval before tobacco companies can make claims about “modified risk tobacco products.”

The tobacco companies have also challenged other marketing restrictions in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which authorizes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products.    » read more »

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 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today joined President Barack Obama at a White House signing ceremony of legislation empowering the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products. Bingaman is a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which helped write the bill.

Among other things, the bipartisan legislation would give the FDA authority to make tobacco products less toxic for those who continue to use them and prevent the tobacco industry from misleading the public about the dangers of smoking. The measure also would help smokers overcome their addiction.    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- OLYMPIA – Washington Governor Chris Gregoire released the following statement on the signing by President Obama of legislation that gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products:

“Curbing tobacco use among children and adults has been one of the driving forces of my career, going back to my days as state attorney general. I couldn’t be more pleased that President Obama signed legislation today that gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products. Given that tobacco use kills an estimated 400,000 Americans and costs the nation roughly $96 billion in health care bills each year, it is critically important that the FDA regulates tobacco in the same way it regulates nearly every other product we consume.    » read more »

American Lung Association Calls Upon President Obama to Protect Entire Federal Workforce

6/19/2009 -- Statement of Charles D. Connor, American Lung Association President and CEO:

Starting today, a federal smokefree workplace policy takes affect that will protect thousands of workers from the dangers posed by secondhand smoke. The American Lung Association applauds the Government Services Administration (GSA) for issuing this strong policy to ensure a safe and healthy work environment and urges them to ensure smokers have access to get the help they need to quit.    » read more »