Re-stoking the Tobacco Debate

Mon, March 02, 2009 - 5:03 PM

The tobacco regulation debate is to fire up again this week with Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., planning to reintroduce Tuesday his bill to give the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate tobacco products.

The bill, favored by cigarette giant Philip Morris USA and opposed by their smaller competitors, passed the House last summer but saw no Senate action.

House aides say the new bill is almost identical to last year’s legislation, which would let the FDA further curtail tobacco product marketing; control nicotine levels; and enlarge government warning labels on all tobacco products.

Waxman called the bill “critically important.” and said he was “optimistic about the chances of the legislation becoming law in this Congress."

“Tobacco has never been, and should never be, a partisan issue,” he said in a statement. “I believe most members of Congress share my desire to pass meaningful and truly effective tobacco legislation to reduce youth smoking.”