Senator Dodd on Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

Legislation Will Protect Children and Families from Targeted Advertising and Harms for Smoking

June 22, 2009 -- Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and Chairman Edward Kennedy’s chief deputy for health care reform, joined President Obama today as he signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law. Dodd introduced the bill with Chairman Edward Kennedy and shepherded it through committee consideration and debate on the Senate floor.

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* For photos from the signing, please click here.

“Connecticut parents work hard to educate their kids about the dangers of smoking. But tobacco companies aren’t on their side, and too often, Big Tobacco wins the battle,” said Dodd. “Each year, 15,000 Connecticut kids smoke their first cigarette – and 76,000 Connecticut children alive today will eventually die from a smoking related illness. As the father of two young daughters, I find that outrageous. And I’m glad that we’ve taken this critically important and long overdue step to empower parents and prevent tobacco companies from turning our kids into addicts.”

Recent Praise for Senator Dodd’s Work on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act:

"Senator Dodd has provided extraordinary leadership in this historic effort to protect our children from tobacco addiction and save lives,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “Senator Dodd's leadership is a critical reason why we are about to win this fight to finally regulate tobacco products, the leading preventable cause of death in the United States."

"The MATCH Coalition applauds the U.S. Senate today for passing long-overdue legislation to protect our children from tobacco addiction and save lives,” Pat Checko, Vice Chair of the Connecticut MATCH Coalition said. “We want to particularly thank Senator Dodd for his leadership in guiding this bill through the HELP Committee, and for leading the fight on the Senate floor. Tobacco takes a devastating toll in health, lives and money, both nationwide and in Connecticut. By granting the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) authority over tobacco, Congress can reduce the tremendous financial burden that tobacco use imposes on our health care system and also protect our children from tobacco addiction.”

“The American Heart Association in Connecticut applauds Senator Lieberman and Senator Dodd for voting in favor of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, and in particular, Senator Dodd for his leadership on this important legislation which would finally give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution, sale, labeling, advertising and promotion of tobacco products to protect the public health,” theAmerican Heart Association wrote in a statement. “The passage of this important legislation is a tremendous victory for generations of Connecticut children who will live longer, healthier lives free from cardiovascular disease and stroke and the American Heart Association in Connecticut is proud to have Senator Dodd as a leader on this historic bill.”

“The American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) supports this long overdue legislation and applauds its passage. ACS CAN commends Senator Christopher Dodd and his colleagues in the Senate for their determination to get this legislation to the President to be signed into law this year,” wrote the American Cancer Society in a statement.

“Under the leadership of U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd, on June 11, 2009, the United States Senate took the nation one step closer to permanently altering the face of public health in America as it passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act,” wrote the Connecticut Chapter of the American Lung Association in a press release.

Summary of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act:

This bipartisan legislation will empower the FDA to regulate tobacco products, allowing the agency to take actions that will help prevent youth smoking and reduce the toll of illness and death caused by tobacco use. The FDA will have the authority to:

* Prevent tobacco advertising which targets children;

* Prevent the sale of tobacco products to minors;

* Strengthen warnings on the health risks of smoking;

* Help smokers overcome their addiction;

* Make tobacco products less toxic and less addictive for those who continue to use them;

* Prohibit unsubstantiated health claims about supposedly “reduced risk” products; and

* Stop the tobacco industry from misleading the public about the dangers of smoking.

Source: Senator Chris Dodd