Archive for June 11th, 2009
FDA regulation is on its way
After the historic vote by the US Senate, the FDA is nearly ready to take over regulatory powers of the US tobacco industry. While numerous public health and tobacco control advocates are joyous, many are still concerned with how far the FDA will go. Here are a collection of articles on the news:
AMA Cheers Senate Passage of Historic Tobacco Regulation Bill
Senators Lugar and Bayh Vote to Protect America’s Kids from Tobacco
Senate Votes for F.D.A. Rules on Tobacco
Obama, FDA All Set to Protect Children From Cigarettes
Tobacco Bill’s Big Winner: Philip Morris?
Senators Snowe and Collins Vote to Protect America’s Kids from Tobacco
LAUTENBERG, LONGTIME SENATE LEADER ON ANTI-TOBACCO EFFORTS, HAILS PASSAGE OF FDA TOBACCO BILL
US Senate OKs Tobacco Regulation by FDA; Enactment Seen Soon
Death of the Kool? Senate Passes Tobacco Control “Family” Bill
Bill Would Give FDA Broad Powers to Regulate Tobacco
APHA Commends Senate Passage of Tobacco Legislation
Lung Association Applauds US Senate for Passing FDA Control Over Tobacco Legislation
Senate Passes Tobacco Regulation Bill
Regulating Tobacco Industry Is a Recent Concept
House set to send Obama a bill imposing gov’t control over tobacco
Reaction to FDA Extensive Power Over Tobacco
Senate approves FDA regulation of tobacco
Tobacco Curbs Clear Senate as 10-Year Fight Nears End (Update3)
Senate Passes Bill to Let FDA Regulate Tobacco
Senate Approves Tight Regulation Over Cigarettes
Senate Passes Landmark Bill to Regulate Tobacco
Louis Brandeis, Federalism And The Changing Politics Of Tobacco
Plain is better
Australia urged to approve plain-packaged
cigarettes
Posted Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:05pm AEST
Updated 11 hours 20 minutes ago
A Canadian expert says the time is right for the Government to pursue the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes.
A recommendation to begin selling cigarettes without advertising logos is expected to be handed to the Federal Government by the preventative health taskforce. Moves towards implementing plain packaging in Canada were unsuccessful. But the executive director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, Cynthia Callard, says tobacco companies no longer have the same influence they had 10 years ago.
“The framework convention on tobacco control has said that plain packaging is a very effective way of reducing advertising and of increasing health warning messages,” she said. ”Also I think tobacco companies do not have the political allies they had 10 years ago. There’s been a sea change, I think, in attitudes by political leaders and by communities toward these companies and I think people are unwilling to give them the time of day.”Dr Callard says plain packaging will have no branding elements and will include the information people need. She says packaging should be used to provide smokers with more information about health issues, as many smokers are not entirely aware of these.
“They know that smoking causes cancer but they don’t know what their survival likelihood is,” she said. ”[While] pictures [on current packaging] are good at giving people emotional connections to change their opinions, tips on quitting and effects on family members should be put on the package.” She expects Australia could be one of the first countries in the world to bring in plain packaging for cigarettes. ”I think it would be one of the best contributions that the Australian Government could make to global health,” she said. ”To establish plain packaging as a normal and effective measure so that other countries could pass it more easily.” With a ban on cigarette advertising in place, anti-smoking activists argue that the packet itself is the last place that tobacco companies can market their brand. And if plain packaging is introduced, the Federal Government can expect a challenge in the High Court from the tobacco industry. This industry is not shy of litigation when it comes to protecting its business.
