WASHINGTON, D.C. -- May 6, 2009 -- “The nation is one step closer to ending Big Tobacco’s unfettered access to children in America with the Senate introduction yesterday of legislation to grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products.
“Longtime public health champion Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) introduced the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (S. 982), which would stop the marketing of tobacco products to children, require tobacco companies to list the poisons in their products and mandate larger and more effective warning labels on tobacco product packaging. The bill would grant regulatory authority over tobacco products to the FDA, the science-based agency that oversees virtually every other consumable product in America.
“Tobacco companies spend nearly $40 million each day to lure a new generation of consumers with blatantly deceptive advertising, promotions of candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes that are aimed at kids and free product giveaways, all while downplaying the danger of their products.
Every day the tobacco industry is allowed to continue to operate unregulated and to freely market its lethal products to children, 3,500 of those children will pick up their first cigarette and 1,000 children will become addicted smokers. The FDA is the only agency with the vast scientific and regulatory expertise to regulate addictive tobacco products, which are responsible for killing 400,000 Americans every year.
“The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), together with more than 1,000 organizations, including public health, medical, children’s, and faith-based groups, supports this lifesaving piece of legislation.
“We call on the Senate to pass the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act as soon as possible and send it to the President’s desk for his signature, continuing the momentum started by passage of a companion House bill last month by an overwhelming bipartisan vote.”
ACS CAN is currently engaged in a print and online advertising campaign focusing on the fact that every day Big Tobacco is allowed to operate unregulated, 3,500 kids pick up their first cigarette. To view these ads and a counter which tracks how many children have tried their first cigarette since January 1, 2009, visit www.fightcancer.org/protectkids.
ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate organization of the American Cancer Society, dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage lawmakers, candidates and government officials to support laws and policies that will make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer. For more information, visit https://www.fightcancer.org/.