House passes legislation to give FDA needed regulatory authority over

tobacco products



    WASHINGTON, July 30 /EMWNews/ -- The following is a

statement by Joseph Heyman, M.D., Board Chair, American Medical

Association:



    "Today, the U.S. House of Representatives took a critical step to

combat smoking-related diseases by passing the 'Family Smoking and Tobacco

Control Act' and giving the FDA needed regulatory authority over tobacco

products. We hope members of the U.S. Senate will truly consider the

countless lives that could be saved when they cast their votes on this

important issue.



    "Given what we know about the dangers of smoking, it is astonishing

that tobacco products are one of the least regulated products in our

society. Congressional action to provide the FDA with strong and effective

regulatory authority over tobacco products is long overdue. The bill will

stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children, further restrict

marketing, especially to kids, and require more informative health warnings

on each package.



    "The FDA currently serves a vital role in protecting the health of

Americans through the regulation of food and drugs. This bill ensures that

the FDA will have the resources necessary to regulate the tobacco industry

in addition to its current responsibilities. We should not let another day

go by without taking the important step of passing this legislation to

enact long-overdue controls over these deadly products."