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Weekly UpdatesPublic health advocates are applauding a new law that gives the Food and Drug Administration unprecedented authority to regulate the sale, marketing, and ingredients in tobacco products.
President Obama signed into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1256) at a White House ceremony. The new law gives the FDA the power to regulate the levels of tar, nicotine, and other ingredients in tobacco products. While the law does not give the FDA the authority to ban tobacco products, it does give the agency broad authority to regulate labeling, packaging, and advertising of such products.
During a White House Rose Garden signing ceremony, President Obama said the law would "save lives and dollars" and would aid health reform efforts by reducing tobacco-related health care costs.
The law bans the use of cigarette additives or flavoring such as strawberry or grape that many public health advocates have said has been used by tobacco manufacturers to make smoking more appealing to minors. The law also prohibits tobacco companies from using descriptors such as "light" or "mild."
Additionally, the bill calls on the FDA to consider fast-tracking the approval of new smoking cessation products.
The new law also aims to prevent youth smoking by placing restrictions on outdoor tobacco advertising within 1,000 feet of schools and playgrounds, as well as sponsorships of entertainment and sporting events. Cigarette packs themselves will also be designed to deter smoking. Under the law, about half of the front and back of the package will be taken up by the warning label. Manufacturers can choose from a selection of warnings such as "WARNING: Smoking can kill you" or "WARNING: Cigarettes cause cancer."
These types of restrictions will help chip away at some of the ways tobacco companies have successfully created an aura of "cool" around smoking, said Danny McGoldrick, vice president for research at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Physician groups hailed the signing of the bill into law. "The new law represents an important break from the past, as it signifies broad acceptance that nicotine is a drug harmful to people's health," Dr. J. James Rohack, president of the American Medical Association, said in a statement.
"I was pleased to represent the thousands of pediatricians who advocated for this bill at the Rose Garden of the White House today," Dr. Renee Jenkins, immediate past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a statement. "This law will greatly reduce tobacco use by adolescent and young [people]. Smoking is a killer and too many of our young people are its victim. Almost all adult smokers start smoking during or prior to their teen years."
"This is great news for family doctors," said Dr. Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "To now have this kind of statement coming out in terms of control of tobacco products is a huge shot in the arm for the health of America."
Dr. Epperly said he hopes the attention from this new law will spur physicians to make it routine to ask patients about smoking and follow up with advice on quitting. The AAFP has its own program--"Ask and Act"--which includes tools and information on prompts for physicians to ask about patients' smoking, coding for cessation counseling, and resources for patients who want to quit (www.aafp.org).
For those physicians who think they don't have the time, Dr. Epperly pointed out that it doesn't have to be the physician who asks about smoking, it can also be a nurse or medical assistant.
He also advised physicians to be patient about seeing results from patients. "I've had multiple patients that aren't ready yet to stop smoking. But I always remind them, "I'm here for you if and when you decide [to quit],'" Dr. Epperly said.
The American College of Physicians also praised the new law. Dr. Joseph W Stubbs, ACP president, said it was "high time" the government began to regulate tobacco products, which contribute to so many chronic illnesses.
Dr. Stubbs said he hopes that the law will lead to stronger efforts related to smoking cessation.
One of the ways the FDA will be able to use its new authority to assist in smoking cessation is by regulating the ingredients in tobacco products. But finding the best way to do that may take some time, said Erika Sward, director of national advocacy for the American Lung Association.
For example, under the law the FDA is gaining the authority to reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, but scientists don't yet know if that would only lead people to compensate by smoking more, she said.
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