Congress appears to be moving toward imposing tougher regulations on tobacco products, which are blamed for contributing to a range of health problems including gum disease.
The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee has passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1108), and the tobacco industry's long-time adversary, the American Lung Association (ALA), is calling on the full House to "quickly take action to move his life-saving legislation forward so it can become law this year."
Noting that tobacco products kill more than 438,000 Americans each year, the ALA says the legislation would finally provide the Food and Drug Administration with the authority to regulate the production and marketing of tobacco products.
"Every day, more than 1,100 American children become regular, daily smokers," notes ALA President and CEO Bernadette A. Toomey. "Tobacco companies spend billions of dollars to create products like candy-flavored cigarettes in an attempt to lure a new generation of tobacco consumers. We cannot allow this to continue.
"This legislation would require tobacco companies, for example, to stop using misleading or inaccurate health claims."
Source: ALA
