House passes the bill to give FDA authority over tobacco products, tobacco ads and sales

Image from Corpwatch

The House of Representatives passed a bill with a 298-to-112 House vote today (02 April 2009) to give the FDA, (Food and Drug Administration) the power and control to regulate the advertising and sale of cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products in the United States.
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, will now face the Senate for approval, and if approved will give the FDA power to restrict the marketing of tobacco in it's current form.
Cigarette and tobacco producer, Philip Morris supports the legislation, but other big tobacco companies and senators from tobacco farming states like North Carolina, oppose it.

President Obama is a strong supporter of the legislation according to the Office of Management and Budget in the new administration’s first official statement on the issue.

“Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and is a contributing factor to scores of diseases and conditions inflicting misery upon millions of our citizens, Further, tobacco use is a major factor driving the increasing costs of health care in the U.S. and accounts for over a hundred billion dollars annually in financial costs to the economy.”
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Tags: Health United States, Health and Human Services, No Smoking, Stop Smoking, How To Stop Smoking, WHO, Bad Tobacco Industry