FDA regulation of tobacco products MAY actually happen!

Hi everyone,

If you haven't met me or didn't know, I'm Emily, the new Coordinator of the Winnebago County Tobacco-Free Coalition. I look foward to meeting and working with each of you on some exciting events coming up this year.

Some coming up soon include:
Oshkosh's National Night Out
Tuesday, August 5 from 4-8pm
South Park in Oshkosh

Back to School Fair
Thursday, August 7 from 12-6pm
FVTC Oshkosh

Winnebago County Fair
Thursday/Friday, August 7 and 8 from 3-5pm
Sunnyview

I'll be bring the Tobacco Candy Store to each of these events. I am hoping to target youth and their parents. If any one is free to help at any of these events, email me: edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us


On a different topic, the US House yesterday voted to give the FDA regulatory power over tobacco products. An article is below:

In a truly historic event today, the U.S. House of Representatives just voted overwhelmingly to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products. This action comes almost twelve years after the FDA under David Kessler first asserted jurisdiction over tobacco and more than eight years after the Supreme Court ruled that only Congress could give the FDA that authority.

The overwhelming vote of 326 to 102 in favor of the legislation is rare in today's political climate and reflects the tremendous work that everyone around the country has done to educate the public and our policymakers about the toll of tobacco and the solutions needed to reduce that toll. Attached is the Campaign's statement on today's vote.

The version of the bill passed today includes a few modications from the bill voted on by the Energy and Commerce Committee in April. One important modfication is the addition of language drafted and approved by the Congressional Black Caucus regarding menthol cigarettes. We support these improvements, which accelerate the formation of the new FDA Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee and direct it to issue recommendations on the regulation of menthol in cigarettes within one year of its establishment.

Additional provisions require FDA to publish an action plan to enforce restrictions on the advertising and promotion of menthol and other cigarettes to youth, with priority attention to enforcement in minority communities, and to assist State, local, and Tribal governments in carrying out their authority under the Act to prevent underage tobacco use, particularly in communities with a disproportionate use of menthol cigarettes by minors.The next step is the Senate, where the legislation has 57 co-sponsors, along with a handful of other members who have indicated they will support the bill on the floor.

We are hopeful, despite the limited time left on the Senate calendar, that today's overwhelming bipartisan vote in the House will help encourage the Senate to take up the issue in September.

If you want the full article/information, just email me!
Thanks for all your hard work and dedication to this very important health issue.

Emily