Smoking

March 18, 2010 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule containing a broad set of federal requirements designed to significantly curb access to and the appeal of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products to children and adolescents in the United States. Published March 19, 2010, the new rule becomes effective June 22, 2010, and has the force and effect of law.

Titled Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco to Protect Children and Adolescents, the new rule restricts the sale, distribution, and promotion of these products to make them less accessible and less attractive to kids.    » read more »

Ruling Follows Sen. Brown Amendment; Will Restrict “Tobacco Candy” Being Test-Marketed in Ohio

March 18, 2010 -- WASHINGTON D.C. -- U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) praised today's decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to restrict the sale, distribution, and promotion of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to youths.

The ruling, titled "Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco to Protect Children and Adolescents," will restrict smokeless, dissolvable tobacco products, known as "tobacco candy."

Tobacco candies resemble breath mints but contain high levels of nicotine, and have been test marketed in Columbus. Until now they have been unregulated.    » read more »

Millions of Americans in 23 States Still Exposed to Deadly Secondhand Smoke

Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2010) -- Kansas residents will be breathing easier soon when Governor Mark Parkinson signs legislation into law tomorrow protecting almost all Kansans from secondhand smoke in public places and workplaces, including restaurants and bars.

However, the American Lung Association was disappointed to see the gaming floors of casinos left out of the final legislation, and hopes Kansas lawmakers will consider fully protecting workers in casinos from toxic secondhand smoke in the future.    » read more »

Public health measure offers some of the strongest protections for patrons and employees among tobacco producing states

December 01, 2009 -- RICHMOND -- Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine celebrated today's enactment of Virginia's historic restaurant smoking ban during public events at smoke-free restaurants throughout the Commonwealth. Beginning today, the new law will offer unprecedented protections from secondhand smoke to both patrons and employees by eliminating smoking in nearly all Virginia restaurants, with very narrow exceptions.

Governor Kaine also encouraged Virginians to visit their favorite restaurants to thank them and enjoy the smoke-free atmosphere.    » read more »

Tobacco-free groups endorse legislation

19 November 2009 -- Washington, DC - Today, on the 34th annual Great American Smokeout, a nationwide program to encourage smokers to quit, Congressman John Adler announced new legislation to prohibit smoking in all federal buildings. A longtime advocate against secondhand smoke, Congressman Adler was the lead sponsor in the New Jersey state legislature of the Smoke-Free Air Act, now state law, which prohibits smoking in all workplaces and places open to the public.    » read more »

11/17/09 -- "The PACT Act will strengthen our tobacco laws to ensure that law enforcement has the tools they need to investigate and prosecute cigarette traffickers. Each day we delay its passage, terrorists and criminals raise more money, states lose significant amounts of tax revenue, and kids have easy access to tobacco products sold over the internet.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- MADISON – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today announced a significant decrease in tobacco sales to Wisconsin minors. The state’s 2009 Synar sales compliance survey, which determines the number of retail outlets that are selling tobacco illegally to minors, shows a noncompliance rate of 5.7 percent—20 percent lower than the 2008 rate of 7.2 percent.

“In Wisconsin, we are working hard to protect our kids from the scourge of tobacco,” Governor Doyle said. “Our state has a long history of preventing youth tobacco sales and I’m pleased our efforts are paying off.”

Governor Doyle also thanked retailers for helping keep tobacco out of the hands of minors and for their dedication to protecting young people from tobacco’s harmful effects.    » read more »

Upfront and potential consideration of over $500 million

16 November 2009, London UK, Rockville US -- GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA (GSK) and Nabi Biopharmaceuticals (Nabi) today announced an exclusive worldwide option and licensing agreement for a nicotine conjugate candidate vaccine (NicVAX®), an investigational vaccine for the treatment of nicotine addiction and the prevention of smoking relapse, as well as for the development of a second generation nicotine vaccine.    » read more »

November 12, 2009 -- Despite progress in some areas, smoking rates among U.S. adults remained stalled in 2008, halting the nation’s progress in ending the tobacco epidemic, according to a CDC study.

The study, released in advance of the annual Great American Smokeout, found that 46 million Americans (20.6 percent) were current cigarette smokers in 2008, which is virtually unchanged since 2004 when 20.9 percent of adults reported being smokers. The study’s findings indicate an alarming trend, because smoking is the leading preventable cause of death, killing more than 443,000 people every year and costing the nation $96 billion in health care costs annually.    » read more »

States not doing enough to help smokers quit

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 10, 2009) -- As the debate over health care reform dominates the media and political arena, a new American Lung Association report finds that states aren't doing enough to help smokers quit – and policymakers must fix this in the health care reform process. In its new report, Helping Smokers Quit: State Cessation Coverage 2009, the American Lung Association advocates for a national prevention and wellness strategy that targets reducing tobacco use by helping smokers quit and preventing them from starting. Key among these strategies is the full coverage of clinically proven smoking cessation treatments for all smokers.    » read more »

Oct. 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- Smoking bans are effective at reducing the risk of heart attacks and heart disease associated with exposure to secondhand smoke, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The report also confirms there is sufficient evidence that breathing secondhand smoke boosts nonsmokers' risk for heart problems, adding that indirect evidence indicating that even relatively brief exposures could lead to a heart attack is compelling.    » read more »

Sept. 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, eleven public health and consumer advocacy organizations filed a friend of the court (amicus) brief asking a federal court to reject a lawsuit by R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard and other tobacco companies that seeks to block key provisions of the new federal law regulating tobacco products. The immediate issue before the court is the industry’s challenge of a provision that requires FDA approval before tobacco companies can make claims about “modified risk tobacco products.”

The tobacco companies have also challenged other marketing restrictions in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which authorizes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products.    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- Creating ways for healthful lifestyle habits to be the natural first choice for Americans is the goal of a $650 million initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, decrease obesity, and decrease smoking in U.S. communities.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a funding opportunity for communities and tribes to apply for $373 million in cooperative agreements for the comprehensive public health initiative, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, to be led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) applauded President Obama for signing into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Senator Murray voted for the bill on June 11th, which passed the Senate 79-17. This law provides the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the authority to regulate tobacco products, protect families and consumers, and help smokers overcome their addiction.    » read more »

Remarks By The President At The Signing Of The Family Smoking Prevention And Tobacco Control Act

June 22, 2009 -- Rose Garden -- THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody, have a seat -- have a seat. I am thrilled to be here for what is I think an extraordinary accomplishment by this Congress, a bill we're about to sign into law.    » read more »