U.S. Senate aims fire hose at cigarette makers by passing new tobacco bill.
Washington, D.C.(JusticeNewsFlash.com)–The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) http://www.fda.gov edges closer to having the power to extinguish misleading advertisements cigarette makers and tobacco producers have used for decades to seduce consumers into smoking their deadly products. On Thursday, a legislative action, aimed at big tobacco companies, swept the U.S. Senate by a 79-17 bipartisan vote, as reported by Reuters. If President Obama signs the Senate measure, the FDA will have the authority to require stronger package warnings, inspect tobacco manufacturers, and water down cigarette advertising and marketing campaigns.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar bill recently and legal insiders believe the Senate’s bill will sweep through the House and land on President Obama’s desk for a quick signature passing the Congressional action into law. President Obama, who admittedly struggles with his own cigarette smoking and multiple attempts to quit the life threatening addiction, will most likely sign the Congressional action into law. The American Cancer Society (ACS) http://www.cancer.org, American Medical Association (AMA) http://www.ama-assn.org/, and hundreds of other consumer health organizations urge a speedy passage of the bill so the reigning in of big tobacco’s heinous business activities can begin.
Philip Morris, the largest cigarette maker in the United States, and R.J. Reynolds, have targeted teenagers and children in their advertising and marketing campaigns for decades. Last month, a U.S. Appellate Court agreed tobacco and cigarette companies, knowingly and willfully, lied to consumers about the dangers of smoking. Smoking cigarettes is known to causes hundreds of related illnesses, deadly cancers, and one of the worst addictions known to man. The new Congressional action will give the FDA the power to require cigarette makers and tobacco manufacturers to register with the federal agency, provide a complete list of all the consumer products they make, and collect millions of dollars in fees from the tobacco companies. The Obama Administration, Congress, and consumer health organizations believe this new law will help reduce tobacco’s harmful and deadly effects by giving the FDA the necessary tools to protect America’s children from deadly tobacco related illnesses and diseases.
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