June-Rain-Quote

“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” - Bob Marley

New Tobacco law passed

The next cigarette packet will come with a warning from now onwards. The non-smoking community now has reasons to cheers in the form of America’s anti smoking law. Widely termed as America’s toughest smoking law, US president Barrack Obama has introduced this bill which, he believes will save millions of lives, today and tomorrow.

Tobacco companies will now have to refrain using terms like "light”, "low", "mild”, candy, fruit- and spice-flavored etc, which are used as a pretext to spurt cigarette sales. What is worrisome is that these advertisements are put up in athletic and entertainment events, where women and children frequent more. The congressional Budget office estimates that the regulation is likely to pull down underage smoking by 11% over the next 10 years.

Recent survey reveals that one out of five Americans smoke and around 4, 40,000 people die due to smoking related illnesses. Despite stiff resistance by the industry and tobacco's political backers, the bill was passed. The law is expected to educate the next generation about the ills of smoking and its long term side- affects.

The law also requires that tobacco companies fully disclose ingredients and additives, stop targeting youth with their marketing campaigns, quit using terms such as "light," "low" and "mild" to market their products, and include warning labels on packaging that dominate the front and rear panels. The bill has got backing by health groups like the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association.

Milestones America achieved against tobacco consumption

1964: Americans are alerted by surgeon general's report that cited health risks caused due to smoking. Lung cancer was associated for the first time with smoking this year.

1971: Advertising tobacco products banned on mass media such TV and radio.

1988: The surgeon general confirms that nicotine is an addictive drug.

1988: Smoking got banned on all US domestic flights in 1998

1990s: FDA pulls socks to regulate nicotine as a drug. Denied by the Supreme Court in 2000, saying that it required congressional backing

2009: Finally FDA gets much needed teeth to regulate content and marketing of tobacco products

Powers FDA gets

1. To check nicotine levels if not banning completely.
2. Ban on tobacco advertisements near schools (within 1,000 feet - 300m)
3. Tobacco companies will now need permission by the FDA for new products.
4. Introduction of graphical health warnings on packets

The regulation is also likely to increase cost of cigarettes, hence smokers will pay more.

I wonder the veracity of this ban.