So the FDA finally got its wish and is set to be granted powers to regulate tobacco products in ways that were before just a crazy man's pipe dream.
The news!
Quote:
Historic anti-smoking legislation sped to final congressional passage on Friday — after a bitter fight lasting nearly a half-century — and lawmakers and the White House quickly declared it would save the lives of thousands of smokers of all ages. Even more important, they said, the measure could keep countless young people from starting in the first place.
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Specifically, the measure for the first time will give the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate what goes into tobacco products, demand changes or elimination of toxic substances and block the introduction of new products.
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Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., sponsor of the bill and chairman at a memorable 1994 hearing where tobacco industry executives denied that nicotine was addictive, relished the long-sought victory.
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There was some opposition from Republicans who questioned the ability of the FDA to handle tobacco regulation and criticized what they said was another Democratic-led intrusion of the federal government in private business.
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So yeah, by the time I get around to having kids and they are old enough to even care about cigarettes, there might not even be any around. I wonder what we're going to find to draw in revenue to pay for healthcare once Big Tobacco finally folds. I mean, sure there will be a lot less people in need of healthcare in the first place so it will be cheaper......but that's an awesome source of income.