Partnership for Prevention today praised the U.S. Senate’s overwhelming vote in favor of legislation to allow the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products.

“This 79-17 vote by the Senate breaks a 20-year logjam in efforts to protect the American people from continued abuses by the tobacco industry,” said Partnership President Robert J. Gould.

“Tobacco is the leading cause of premature death in the United States, and this bill gives the FDA strong tools to help stem the abusive practices of the tobacco industry, such as the targeting of children and the manipulation of product ingredients,” Gould said. “We urge the House to  accept the Senate version of the bill and get this legislation to President Obama’s desk so it can be promptly signed into law.”

The legislation grants the FDA the authority and resources necessary to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products.  Among other things, it will:

• Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children. 
• Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children.
• Require large, graphic health warnings that cover the top half of the front and back of cigarette packs.
• Ban misleading health claims such as “light” and “low-tar.”
• Strictly regulate all health claims about tobacco products to ensure they are scientifically proven and do not discourage current tobacco users from quitting or encourage new users to start.
• Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco products, as well as changes in products and research about their health effects.
• Empower the FDA to require changes in tobacco products, such as the removal or reduction of harmful ingredients or the reduction of nicotine levels.
• Fully fund the FDA’s new tobacco-related responsibilities with a user fee on tobacco companies so no resources are taken from the FDA’s current work