Senate poised to vote on sweeping FDA tobacco rules

David Lightman and Barbara Barrett
McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: June 07, 2009

WASHINGTON — Sweeping changes in how the government controls tobacco content and marketing are likely to be approved by the U.S. Senate this week, despite a strong last-ditch effort by tobacco interests and skepticism from some experts that smokers won't kick their habit.

The bill, passed overwhelmingly by the House of Representatives in April and due for a Senate vote as early as Tuesday, would give the Food and Drug Administration broad new authority over tobacco.

"It's a massive move in public policy," said Andrew Taylor, a political science professor at North Carolina State University.

The bill would permit the FDA to limit the amount of nicotine in a product, bar advertising and marketing aimed at children and prevent companies from making unsubstantiated claims about "reduced risk" items.

Anti-smoking activists are ecstatic, predicting that if the new law is rigorously enforced, "all the evidence is it will prompt more people to quit rather than switching to low-tar cigarettes or other tobacco products as has happened in the past," said Matthew Myers, the president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

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