Tobacco Bill Heads to Senate Markup Next Week

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) is scheduled to vote next week on a major tobacco bill, the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" (S.982).

This bill, introduced by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), the Chairman of the Committee, contains unprecedently broad advertising restrictions.  It would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) virtually complete regulatory control over all aspects of the marketing of tobacco products.  It is similar to legislation sponsored by Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), which passed the House in April.

ANA, the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) and the American Advertising Federation (AAF) have delivered detailed comments to the members of the HELP Committee outlining our major concerns with the bill.