EnglishWay to go FDA!
These days FDA can regulate macaroni, not cigarettes, but maybe something is about to change
Imagine if a new, consumable product containing arsenic, formaldehyde and ammonia was introduced into the market, but federal law wouldn't let the government do anything about it. Such a product already exists – cigarettes. And under current law, the federal government cannot take action to reduce or eliminate the dangerous chemicals additives in cigarettes.
According to the American press, about 85% of US adults surveyed in August 1996 favored the Food and Drug Administration policy on tobacco, and roughly the same percentage said Congress should support the FDA ruling. What the remaining 15% had to say is not clear, as certainly they are not lovers of chemical additives.
Today congress can end this special protection for Big Tobacco by passing legislation to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products as it does for other consumer products.
In the face of this overwhelming public approval, tobacco allies in the 104th Congress introduced at least six bills to block the FDA from regulating tobacco. All of the leading sponsors accepted tobacco contributions, as did 82% of their colleagues in Congress.
Big Tobacco goes into action
With their deep pockets, the tobacco giants managed to block those “dangerous revolutionaries” of the FDA, and they have bought themselves decades of voluntary self-regulation – a disaster for public health.
Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH)
They made more than $1.1 million in political contributions to federal candidates, political parties and political committees so far in the 2005-2006 election cycle, according to an annual report issued by the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund and Common Cause.
Since 1997, the tobacco industry has contributed more than $30.9 million, including $16.8 million in soft money and more than $14.1 million in political action committee (PAC) contributions. Since 1999, the tobacco companies have spent more than $129 million on lobbying the U.S. Congress.
The tobacco industry spent more than $23 million to lobby Congress in 2004 (the most recent data available). That amounts to more than $173,000 spent on lobbying for every day Congress was in session.
Is this the right time?
Congress can end this special protection for Big Tobacco by passing legislation to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products as it does for other consumer products.
The public health community supports strong, identical, bipartisan bills that have been introduced in the Senate and the House of Representatives:
S. 666 sponsored by Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA).
H.R. 1376 sponsored by Representatives Tom Davis (R-VA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA).
These bills will protect kids and save lives by granting the FDA authority to:
- Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children.
- Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children.
- Ban candy-flavoured cigarettes.
- Require changes in tobacco products, such as the reduction of elimination of harmful chemicals, to make them less harmful or less addictive.
- Prohibit health claims about so-called “reduced risk” products that are not scientifically proven or that would discourage current tobacco users from quitting or encourage new users to start.
- Require disclosure of the contents of tobacco products and tobacco industry research about the health effects of their products.
- Require larger and more informative health warnings on tobacco products.
- Prohibit terms such as “light”, “mild” and “low-tar” that have mislead consumers into believing that certain cigarettes are safer than others.
Till today the Congress failed to act, and never ended the “special protection” for Big Tobacco. Is this the right time?
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