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President Obama Signs Landmark Anti-Smoking Legislation Monday
June 22, 2009 5:10 a.m. EST
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Kris Alingod - AHN Contributor
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - A landmark bill authorizing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the advertising, manufacturing of tobacco products will become law on Monday. The legislation is supported by one of the world's largest tobacco corporations, the Altria Group, but had faced stiff opposition from some Republicans.
President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act at 2:00 pm ET in the Rose Garden. He will deliver brief remarks about "his pleasure in seeing a bill that has wound its way through a legislative process for more than a decade to land on the President's desk for his signature," Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a Friday press briefing.
Obama, who has been trying to quit smoking, "understands the struggles of millions of Americans with tobacco," Gibbs also said.
The House voted 307 to 97 on June 12 approving the measure as amended by the Senate, which voted 79-17 the previous day in favor of the bill. Ninety of the 97 nay votes in the House were Republicans, including House Minority Leader John Boeher (R-OH).
The House had passed the measure before Easter but had to take another vote to approve the version passed by the Senate.
The bill gives the FDA authority to require changes in current and future tobacco products to protect public health, such as the reduction or elimination of harmful ingredients, additives and constituents, including menthol. It reinstates the FDA's 1996 rule that bans outdoor advertising of tobacco within 100 feet of schools and playgrounds and all tobacco-brand sponsorships of sports and entertainment events.
The rule also limits vending machines to adult-only facilities.
The FDA will also have the power to keep tobacoo companies from making false and misleading claims in advertising, and from marketing their products to underage consumers.
The new tobacco program will be funded through user fees on tabacco product manufacturers.
Senate Democrats had held a press conference to tout their passage of the bill.
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) had said, "Kraft Foods would never be allowed to add ammonia to Kraft Macaroni and Cheese on the grounds that, say, it improves 'cheese satisfaction' for its customers. That's because ammonia is not on the FDA list of products that are Generally Recognized as Safe. This bill is about standing up to the power of Big Tobacco."
But Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), one of 17 Republicans who made up all the opposing votes in the Senate, had warned that the bill would "do more harm than good" since adding tobacco to the FDA's jurisdiction would "stretch the FDA even more than it already is."
The next day before the House vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) made an emphatic floor speech.
"We have an opportunity to honor our responsibility to our children to protect them from the harm that can come to them from the use of tobacco. Right now, tobacco is exempt from standards that apply to a can of soda or a box of pasta. Tobacco makers are exempt from the critical and basic consumer protections, such as ingredient disclosure, product testing, and restrictions - and restrictions on marketing to children."
"Because of lost productivity and health care expenditures, cigarette smoking costs our nation more than $193 billion a year - almost $200 billion a year. By reducing the number of smokers, not only will this legislation save lives and reduce chronic disease, it will also reduce health care costs," she added.
The President later thanked lawmakers in remarks at the White House and said he was looking forward to signing the bill.
"For over a decade, leaders of both parties have fought to prevent tobacco companies from marketing their products to children, and provide the public with the information they need to understand what a dangerous habit this is. And after a decade of opposition, all of us are finally about to achieve the victory with this bill, a bill that truly defines change in Washington," Obama said.
Altria Group, the parent company of Philip Morris USA, has said that it is "glad" to see the progress of "tough but reasonable federal regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration."
"The legislation passed today is not perfect... we have expressed First Amendment reservations about certain provisions, including those that could restrict a manufacturer's ability to communicate truthful information to adult consumers about tobacco products. On balance, however, the legislation is an important step forward to achieve the goal we share with others to provide federal regulation of tobacco products," the corporation said in a statement.
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