Ready to wield its new power under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched the Center for Tobacco Products.
Generally patterned after its far more mature and familiar Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products will set performance standards, review premarket applications for new and modified risk tobacco products, and establish and enforce advertising and promotion restrictions as required by the Act.
Signed by President Obama in June, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gave the FDA the power to regulate the content, advertising and sale of tobacco products in the United States.
Just to get its Center for Tobacco Products off the ground, the FDA will devote $5 million from its FY 2009 budget for basic administrative functions. Funding for future years will come from fees paid by tobacco product makers and importers.
Selected as the Center for Tobacco Products’ first director, Dr. Lawrence Dayton formerly served as chief public health and environmental hazards officer for the U.S. Department of Veterans, where he oversaw programs for reducing tobacco use by veterans.
According to Centers for Disease Control statistics, cigarette smoking causes an estimated 438,000 deaths in the U.S., or about 1 of every 5 deaths, each year. On average, adults who smoke cigarettes die 14 years earlier than nonsmokers.
Also See:
Obama Signs Landmark Tobacco Control Law
List of Organs Damaged by Smoking Expanded
US Teens Smoking Less (2002)
Comments
Cigarette smoking is a seditive and is not as harmful compared to the many americans who are taking perscription drugs. I use njoy e cig and the government just wants revenue from e-cig user.
I will lobby my representative to stop attacking njoy mfg; and then I will give him some choice words about attorneys who cant compete privately.