Washington, D.C. – With the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee set to debate this week a bill requiring the Food and Drug Administration to approve and regulate tobacco products, U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) today said that putting an implied FDA seal of approval on tobacco is no way to wipe out smoking.
“My fierce opposition to smoking is a result of smoking killing my dad, and my mom, and my mother-in-law, and second-hand smoking conclusively affecting me. This is not political. This is personal,” said Enzi, Ranking Member of the HELP Committee.
“This bill will put the FDA seal of approval on tobacco, and that’s wrong. FDA approves cures, not poisons. FDA regulation implies a seal of approval, even if that seal isn’t physically on the label or in the advertising.”
Enzi said that S. 982, the misnamed “Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act,” would corrupt FDA’s core mission, which is protecting the American public from dangerous products.
“Something needs to be done about tobacco,” Enzi said. “Tobacco kills people. With what we know, no one should smoke – but this bill won’t help people stop smoking and it won’t prevent kids from taking up the deadly habit.
“I will be offering amendments to strengthen this bill, preserve FDA’s mission, and help people quit using tobacco. I hope my colleagues will join me and support these amendments.”
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