FDA Authority Over Tobacco Products
Current Laws and Regulations
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was first introduced by Representatives Tom Davis (VA-R) and Henry Waxman (CA-D) and Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Edward Kennedy (MA-D) in the 108th Congress. Its introduction followed months of negotiations in which lawmakers sought to balance the competing interests of public health groups and the tobacco industry. Both sides support giving Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, but they disagree on the central question of how much regulatory control the agency should be given. Public health advocates want FDA to have broad authority…
