June 12th, 2009
01:45 PM ET
14 years ago
House passes bill putting tobacco products under FDA oversight
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The House of Representatives voted 307-97 Friday to approve a bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco.
The House had passed a similar measure in April, but needed to approve the Senate version, which passed Thursday.
The measure will now go to President Barack Obama for his signature.
@ Tulsa – where in hell is your stupid comment coming from? It has nothing to do with the topic. You sound like a disgruntled person from an ethnic group that hollers "racism" all the time. Get over YOURSELF – not everyone complaining about your current president is a right wing zealot! I happened to be registered independent but can't wait until "that one" is voted out of office before he totally wrecks this country taking up for the muslims!
Of course we need FDA oversight of tobacco! In countries such as Switzerland they have all the ingredients listed on the packaging! I don't understand how anyone can pick up a cigarette without even knowing what is in it... Not to mention is has the most broad, confusing, and unspecific warning possible. For anyone that calls this Fascism they must not understand what the FDA is. It was created after books such as The Jungle revealed the unsanitary conditions in slaughterhouses. It was created to protect the people from corporations that care about one thing: profit. It's amazing that far more people die and fill our hospitals every year from smoking related illnesses and the FDA is just now being asked to step in. Finally, people can make educated choices on what type of cigarette they choose to consume and hopefully pick none of them... By the way, the president is a smoker so for him to back such a bill says a lot as well.
@ Tulsa, who said "I can say that nicotine is most definitely an addictive DRUG"
Indeed. Nicotine is more addictive than heroine and more toxic than almost any poison known to man. Eating a cigar can literally kill you.
To Sniffit:
I hope you found the remote. I felt bad for you. lol.
As a physician in training, I hope this starts the process of outlawing smoking all together. People need to stop. This has nothing to do with political affiliation but everything to do with health. Put your personal feelings aside and support legislation that helps people, not hurt them.
This doesn't control whether you smoke or not! Smoke your brains out if you like.
I am also sick of people complaining about the government in their business. In case you haven't noticed the government already tells you what to do every day – only work forty hours or you get overtime, wear a bicycle helmet when you ride, put a seatbelt on, get your driver's license renewed, have fat, salt and sugar content available to read on your food and so on.......
If you think you are free as a bird you should look at real birds – they are pooping in the wind!
BTW, this does not amount to nor will it result in a ban on tobacco. Prohibition didn't and doesn't work. Banning tobacco at this point might not even pass Constitutional muster. Us smokers might have to pay a little more for the privilege of getting emphasema and lung cancer if/when regulations increase production costs, but that's something I can live with, recognizing that ciggies are a voluntary commodity with no true societal value...much like alcohol.
Raise tobacco taxes to fund the government controlled health care, but then regulate it so people quit! WOW! Anyone see the mistake here?! DUH, DEE-DUH DUH!
Communist News Network doesn't like anyone mentioning the similarities between the world in "Atlas Shrugged", and the world into which we are now going.
FREEDOM! Once the government regulates the dictionary this will no longer be a word!
Of course... because having the Food and Drug Administration actually do its job and control a DRUG like tobacco is socialism... or fascism... or whatever else the sad and scripted fanatics want to try to brand it.
Anyone using moronic phrases like "liberal media" or "teleprompter president" to lead their shallow factless rhetoric should just go stick their head back in the sand.
Approximately...... 163,500, Americans will die of lung cancer this year.
ALL drugs are regulated by the FDA; TOBACCO IS a DRUG!
The far-right is making comments about socialism, etc., but they should be grateful that the FDA will be allowed to regulate tobacco!
The new regulations will also PREVENT the Tobacco Companies from advertising to children, creating cigarettes laced with 'flavors' meant to addict America's youth!
BTW: President Obama does not legislate, that's Congress's job.
How many Republicans supported this Bill?
I can tell you, that those ranting about "socialism" are ignorant to the millions who struggle daily with tobacco addiction.
The 163,500 who die of LUNG CANCER, do not include the number of Americans who die of MOUTH CANCER, THROAT CANCER and other CANCERS related to ....... TOBACCO!
Why are you republicans always defending the big guys (companies)? I guess it is because you no longer will be receiving their (companies) ridiculous left overs (profits).
Well, whats left for the government to take over..oh I know, big oil and big beer!!! I know a better solution, ban smoking and legalize pot. That will be next from our hope and change government.
It's about time!!!
open up all the drugs to everyone, pot, valium etc
we do not need big brother over seeing our use
@ Sniffit
No, It's still about how much the government can control. I am not even mentioning President Obama, because it is Congress that has done this. I couldn't care less about what the FDA controls or not. This is about the Statist, thinking we are too stupid to know that smoking can kill you. I know that I choose not too, (by the way that is called freedom) but some people choose to still smoke. Possibly because the same liberal congress will encourage them to sue with a frivolous lawsuit claiming the evil tobacco company ahs duped all the poor smokers.
Besides there is big money in them there stogies and what politician wouldn't want a piece of that leveraging pie from lobbyists?
For all of those out there hollering about fascism, you will probably be pleased to hear that the first country to try to reduce smoking was Germany under Hitler. He did it because he recognized that Germany would be stronger if its citizens would be healthy. What this shows to me is that even someone as evil as Hitler did one thing right.
This is long overdue and a step which shows that our officials are not giving in to the powerful greedy lobbies. Yes, health should be more important than greed. Just what is the job of the FDA if they can't control the marketing of an unhealthy (and deadly in many cases) substance?
"One of the more unfortunate developments in our culture are pressure groups that lobby against the interest of other people, only because they dislike what other people do! Some people say that is tyranny! I think it is intolerance!"
This nation was founded on tolerance of the choices free people make in their private lives. The argument that smoking is an act of aggression on other free people is over blown.
Even Paul Newman passing at the Age of 83 was considered a smoking death.
a lot of people drinking the Obama-Pelosi kool-aid, a la Jim Jones.
This is a good thing –
We will live healthier and LONGER !!
We can collect more of the Soc. Sec. money the wealthy paid.
OR we can be on welfare roles even longer than before.
What a wonderful day !!!
You know that most insurance companies will not pay to quit smoking, but I guess paying over a 100.00 per month for meds to quit.
Most people fear of gaining weight when quiting smoking...it happens...
The Republicans just stop making light of the FDA regulating the tobacco industries which is a good thing, the ones who is totally ticked off is probably the ones who has stock in Marlboro...
And now he is going to tax our cell phones too!
This might just be the ticket to saving tax dollars. Regulating tobacco would mean the government would no longer subsidize tobacco growers. That would be riduculus to pay someone to grow something that you are going to try to eliminate thru regulation.
Oops! I forgooot. Government. Exactly just something are brilliant policitions would do. Silly me.