There is legislation moving through the U.S. Senate that would require the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to regulate the tobacco industry. I was amused to read a full page ad in the June 2 WSJ by the Lorillard Tobacco Company. The ad opposed the legislation because tobacco is "an inherently dangerous product," and the FDA is "already overwhelmed in its mission to protect Americans." Now they tell us!
The ad goes on to decry the "huge profits" - and low penalties for arrest and conviction - of those who illicitly sell cigarettes on the black market. In fact, terrorist groups are finding the selling of cigarettes to be a lucrative source of funding, according to Lorillard.
The FDA, under this legislation, "would approve any new tobacco product that claims to lessen the risk from smoking before it could be marketed." Lorillard is afraid that would be a standard that could not be met, thereby assuring that no new products would ever come to market. Bo-hoo! The FDA might actually prevent the tobacco companies from lying to the public! Remember a few years back when the heads of the largest tobacco companies all testified before Congress that they were unaware of the addictive properties of nicotine?
No comments:
Post a Comment