News on possible FDA tobacco regulation

Here's what I found from an RJR spokesperson on this FDA tobacco regulation news: The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health recently approved H.R. 1108 granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) broad powers to regulate cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. The vote was 18-9 and now sends the bill to the full committee for consideration. Although nothing is currently scheduled, it is anticipated that consideration by the full committee could occur very soon. Congress will be recessing to go back to their home districts beginning next Monday, March 17 and will return on the 28th. While home, it is important that members of the full committee hear opposition to FDA regulation. If you know of an event or other gathering or have an opportunity to see a member while he/she is at home, please take that occasion to express opposition to FDA regulation. NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT. Attached are message points to help guide you in expressing opposition to H.R. 1108 and, to help facilitate contact, below is a link to a list of the full committee with contact-information : http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/newcommittee.cgi?site=congressmerge〈=&commcode=hcommerce Thank you for all your help, Why FDA Regulation of Tobacco is Bad Public Policy - The current proposals give overly broad authority to the FDA that could significantly affect consumer acceptability of tobacco products thus jeopardizing the entire category at both the retail and wholesale level. - Internet and tribal sales would not be covered under the current proposals leaving traditional retailers at an even greater disadvantage. - The current proposal would authorize further limits on the sale, distribution, advertising, and promotion-including in-store retail display-of tobacco products. - The bill lacks federal pre-emption language over marketing and advertising meaning that states could adopt even more stringent laws creating a patchwork of different regulations nationwide. - Under the provision of the current proposal, the potential for a significant black market in tobacco would be enormous. -If the legislation passes and when government regulators issue rules, it will undoubtedly result in increased and overly burdensome reporting and record-keeping requirements creating a real hardship for many small, family-owned businesses. - FDA regulation of tobacco will expand the authority of an agency that has serious issues in its approval process for, and monitoring of existing drugs. Tobacco regulation will further distract the agency from its core mission of approving safe and effective drugs and medical devices to the public. - The proposed legislation allows states and local governments to enact any restriction "that is in addition to, or more stringent than," those in the bill resulting in a 50 state patchwork of standards forcing retailers and wholesalers to face widely disparate state and local requirements. - Bill-supporters are rushing passage of the legislation through congress without regard to the potential, negative consequences to the retail and wholesale industries as well as state government and the revenue stream from the sale of consumer acceptable tobacco products

Jay Enthusiastic Smoker Joined: Jun 10, 2003 Posts: 434 Location: Chicago