House Panel Approves FDA Tobacco Oversight

[Tallulah]

Bloomberg.com: U.S.

[TropicalBob]

I so wish they'd listen to the Indiana representative calling for harm reduction. Control of tobacco should either be in a special agency -- Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms -- or with the Department of Health and Human Services. After all, they claim smoking is America's biggest health problem.

But what this legislation is saying in its implication is that nicotine is a drug needing regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. If that's so, what of e-smoking's future and our drug delivery devices for nicotine?

[jennydotz]

Tallulah--THanks for posting the news

[MonkeyMonk]

Ugh! Certain parts of that article are more troublesome than others.

[jamie]

I believe this is the bill in question - H.R. 1108: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1108

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h1108:


Snips from the article:

March 4 (Bloomberg) -- Decade-old legislation authorizing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate the $80- billion-a-year tobacco industry cleared a House panel, where Democrats said broad support may speed approval this year.

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce passed the legislation, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, in a 39-13 vote today in Washington. The same measure was passed by a 3-to-1 margin in the full House of Representatives last July before stalling....

The bill, backed by industry leader Altria Group Inc. and President Barack Obama, would restrict tobacco marketing to young people, add larger warnings to cigarette packages, and require the FDA to police ingredients and the introduction of new products.

All of the Democrats at the panel’s meeting voted in favor of the legislation, and they were joined by six Republicans. The measure now moves to the full House.

“The American Lung Association urges the full House to quickly pass this important bill..."

Representative Steve Buyer of Indiana instead proposed a new "Tobacco Harm Reduction Center" within the U.S. Health and Human Services Department to encourage ways to reduce harm from smoking, including a shift toward smokeless products.

Smaller tobacco manufacturers Reynolds American Inc. and Lorillard Inc. also oppose the legislation, saying restrictions would perpetuate the dominance of Altria’s Philip Morris USA... also fears the FDA won’t do enough to encourage development of less-harmful tobacco products

Regulation would be funded through fees paid by companies. The legislation wouldn’t allow the FDA to ban tobacco entirely.

[smokingclam]

The bill, backed by industry leader Altria Group Inc. and President Barack Obama, would restrict tobacco marketing to young people, add larger warnings to cigarette packages, and require the FDA to police ingredients and the introduction of new products.


I don't like the part about new products stated here. Even though they are not tobacco products will we fall under this?

[Josh]

Wow, what a time for me to join this forum...

I watched the live broadcast earlier today, and agree with Bob's comment about the congressman from Indiana... although it did seem like he was fighting an uphill battle against the majority. From what I observed, most of the committee had already made up their minds about the bill, and were ready to push it back to the house to vote on.

And yeah, the bill is essentially HR 1108 -- resubmitted as HR 1256. I realize as a newbie, I can't post links, but it's on THOMAS, and I'm sure someone can easily find it and post the link.

I'm keeping a watchful eye on this... means a lot to me since I just got my first vaporizer just a few weeks ago

[NumerousOne]

The bill, backed by industry leader Altria Group Inc. and President Barack Obama, would restrict tobacco marketing to young people, add larger warnings to cigarette packages, and require the FDA to police ingredients and the introduction of new products.


I don't like the part about new products stated here. Even though they are not tobacco products will we fall under this?

Actual wording from the bill.... Look for yourselves.

"(5) to vest the Food and Drug Administration with the authority to regulate the levels of tar, nicotine, and other harmful components of tobacco products;"

Just go to the following link GovTrack: H.R. 1108 [110th]: Text of Legislation, Referred in Senate and do a find (Ctrl-F) on "nicotine" without the quotes, to see all the new rights it proposes they should give the FDA in regards to nicotine. One of concern is already hired.

Personally I'm going to write my congressman, I think if the tobacco industry is going to be regulated at all, it needs to be by an entirely new agency that will actually suggest smokeless alternatives to smoking and get people off cigarettes safely. Basically if this bill is passed the already overworked FDA has the right to control the tobacco industry. Since their game is public health and tobacco is detrimental to health, tobacco, tar, and nicotine would obviously be banned. Might as well throw alcohol in there (like it worked during the prohibition).

Write your congressmen, ask them to oppose the bill.

Push e-cigarettes till they become mainstream and the problem will take care of itself.

I'll post a link shortly, that will give you the e-mail of your local congressman and possibly a pre-written letter, by yours truly , contesting the bill.

[TribbleTrouble]

This subject bums me out more than this horrible economy.

[dc2k08]

Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., whose state is home to R.J. Reynolds, has threatened to filibuster the legislation when it reaches the Senate. A spokesman said Burr will offer a competing bill in the coming weeks

source