Family Smoking Prevention And Tobacco Control Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, this is a very important and historic day for the American people. I rise in strong support of the bipartisan Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, of which I am a proud original cosponsor. I want to thank and acknowledge the leadership of Chairman WAXMAN, Senator KENNEDY, and so many others who have fought the battles for so many years to see this day happen.
Granting the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products is long overdue. The legislation is a critical step in protecting the health and well being of millions of Americans from the deadly effects of tobacco use. It is a shame that tobacco products were not regulated in this country. Though the FDA has the authority to regulate products that are not addictive, we always had this gap in their regulatory authority when it came to the very addictive products of nicotine and tobacco products.
For far too long, the tobacco companies have taken advantage of this loophole and have exploited it by marketing their deadly products to young people. Generation after generation, the tobacco companies knowingly targeted our kids through flavored cigarettes, manipulating the ingredients in their products, false advertising and other deceiving methods--all to ensure that their profit margins remained high. In fact, they had to do that. In order for these companies to continue to make their profits, they had to find ways to hook people on tobacco products.
I am very proud of the efforts Maryland has taken to curb the effects of tobacco use. It has increased the tobacco tax and youth smoking has declined. Maryland also passed a comprehensive smokefree indoor air law in 2007. I am also proud that the Congress took steps earlier this year to decrease tobacco use by increasing federal excise taxes on cigarettes as part of the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Let's make sure that future generations of young people do not get addicted to tobacco products. Addiction to tobacco products has had a huge cost to our society in terms of lives and money by killing over 400,000 Americans each year. This legislation will save lives and money. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in putting an end to this deadly cycle and vote yes on this very important bill.
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