Ten Years Later Tobacco To Get More Regulation


At $600M a year, fees Big Tobacco will pay the Federal Government, the result will be more federal oversight, a separate center of the FDA with scientific and regulatory control, which will work toward making cigarettes less harmful and a reduction in the number of people who smoke.

There are quite a few camps of thought on the ten year old legislation that is soon to become law.

One supports the regulatory route giving the FDA unprecedented control over access to cigarettes and regulatory control over the products and advertising.

Others believe that the FDA is incapable of handling tobacco regulations and cite the agency's failure to address oversight on core functions such as food safety.

Than there are those who abhor anti-government control over businesses, they shouldn't grab for a Kleenex yet.

Whilst PMI is ready to take a hit to U.S. sales they have a business plan to jump-up global sales before U.S. restrictions take hold.

The newly formed Phillip Morris International (PMI) has launched seven new varieties of Marlboro alone to a growing European market.

With 129 lawsuits and a pariah image in the U.S., Phillip Morris has relocated its operations to Switzerland and is targeting countries with no regulations, like Indonesia.

Teenagers there sell cigarettes from vending carts along with sugary soda drinks and gum.

The CEO of PMI doesn't allow his own children to smoke. Yet, PMI targets sporting events and rock concerts to sell cigarettes to Indonesian youth.

Pressure anew has come from a twenty-four year old Indonesian activist who says that PMI has infused cigarette marketing with youthful themes and gone back on their word.

There are others who have not forgotten the old Phillip Morris and know that PMI is repeating their same old marketing strategies in new growing markets, targeting youth and impacting public health.

This new U.S. legislation is far from perfect. Would you believe while it orders the FDA to regulate, it withholds the power to ban menthol, the one brand most people smoke and it makes it really hard for people to sell less hazardous cigarettes.

Okay, now anti-regulation nuts can just throw the Kleenex away.

Philip Morris' partner and political cover, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a non-profit organization, helped craft the legislation.

Back when Phillip Morris was facing a $264M settlement and a lawsuit from 46 state attorney generals, they formed "Project Sunrise," which was an effort to craft the regulations.

Thus, there was a legislative compromise.

The bill denies the FDA the ability to require nicotine, the main addictive agent in cigarettes, to be eliminated and does not eliminate the menthol brand.

The National African American Tobacco Prevention Network released a statement on the bill saying, "Tobacco legislation that treats menthol differently from other flavoring additives is incomplete." This is in response to studies showing that menthol is far more addictive then other cigarettes and far harder to quit, no matter what race the smoker is."

Ironically many health groups are standing with Philip Morris in lobbying for the legislation, though some smaller companies oppose it.

The bill would make it difficult, if not impossible, for "tobacco manufacturers to develop and introduce products that have the potential to reduce the risk of tobacco usage."

So, as usual, what we don't always condone, we don't always say no to. Or it's never really clear, just like the label on the package.