Federal Appeals Court Upholds Graphic Cigarette Warnings and Other Key Provisions of New Tobacco Regulation Law

Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued its ruling in the case against the FDA law. The Court essentially upheld the ruling of the District Court in January of 2010 that upheld most of the provisions of the FDA law. Today’s ruling, though, also upheld the provision of the law (which the District Court did not) which prohibits tobacco companies from making statements implying a tobacco product is safer because it is regulated by the FDA.
Perhaps the most important part of today’s decision is the affirmation of the constitutionality of the graphic warning label provision of the law. While this is a separate case than in the one in which Judge Richard Leon warning against the warning labels as laid out in the FDA rule on the matter, it still sends an important message on the matter.

To view the press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, click here.

CDC Launches “Tips from Former Smokers” Campaign

Post written by guest blogger Kim Hageman, author of survivingoshkosh.com

On March 15, 2012, the Center for Disease Control’s Office on Smoking and Health launched a groundbreaking campaign to show the long term suffering caused by smoking. Called “Tips from Former Smokers”, the campaign demonstrates what it is like to “live” with the adverse effects of smoking.
 
Stomas, lung removal, heart attack, limb amputation and paralysis from stroke are just some of the horrible health effects these people have to deal with. Some people who are diagnosed with these life-altering conditions are less than 40 when they began suffering from very real health declines.
 
On a positive note, the campaign also serves to express that people can quit. By listening to tips from former smokers, the CDC is sending a strong reason to quit, as well as directing people to tools which will help them to succeed. Free resources are available by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or going to www.smokefree.gov. While smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, this new campaign will show what life might look like for those who continue to smoke.
 
For more information, go to http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/index.htm.

Tobacco Control Making National News (again)

President Obama's administration is appealing the ruling made last week by a US District Judge to block implementation of graphic warning labels on cigarette packages.

Read more on the FDA appeal story as reported by The Chicago Tribue

This appeal comes on the same day a report was released by The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids that examines the tobacco industry's strategy in partnering with convenience stores.
The report Deadly Alliance: How Big Tobacco and Convenience Stores Partner to Market Tobacco Products and Fight Life-Saving Policies makes several key findings:

• Convenience stores and other retail outlets have become by far the dominant channel for marketing tobacco products in the United States.
• Point-of-sale marketing is very effective at reaching kids and influencing them to smoke.
• Tobacco companies, inhibited by their own negative reputations, have also enlisted convenience stores as front groups to oppose tobacco tax increases and other policies to reduce tobacco use.

 It looks like the fight against the #1 cause of preventable death and disease will continue...

Judge Upholds Ruling to Block Implementation of Graphic Warning Labels

http://smokefreewisconsin.blogspot.com/

Written by Guest Blogger Kim Hageman, author of Surviving Oshkosh

On February 29th, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon passed a ruling to block the implementation of the FDA's new graphic labels on cigarettes, going into place September 2012. While this ruling will not be the final word on the new graphic labels, it is just another attempt on the part of Big Tobacco to prevent the public from understanding the real dangers presented by the use of tobacco products. 　

A recent study published by the Centers for Disease Control found that smokers in countries using similar graphic labels, (Brazil, Mexico, Poland and Russia), were more likely to want to quit as a result of the labels.　 The labels will be very large, covering half of the cigarette package. Large labels and picture warnings have been proven to be effective in discouraging smoking.

Within the state of Wisconsin, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death. In our state alone, the tobacco industry spends $233 million in marketing to promote their very dangerous products. Nearly 8,000 Wisconsin kids become daily smokers as a result of their effort. It is important to remember this is just one ruling, but it is a part of a continued effort by Big Tobacco to attempt to block the FDA from doing what needs to be done to inform people of the truth about the use of tobacco products.

For more information on this ruling go to: