U.S. Senate urged to pass FDA regulation of tobacco
Faith United Against Tobacco letter
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three United Methodist organizations are among nearly 30 faith-based signers of a letter to U.S. Senators urging them to pass legislation (S. 625) authorizing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation of tobacco products in this session of Congress.
On July 30, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1108, legislation authorizing the FDA to regulate tobacco products, by the overwhelming bipartisan margin of 326-102.
The members of Faith United Against Tobacco (FUAT), which represents faith leaders across the nation, state in their letter that passing the legislation “would save tens of thousands of Americans from the illness and death caused by tobacco addiction.” They declare that the legislation “is critically important for our nation’s public health.”
Legislation ‘is critically important for our nation’s public health.’
United Methodists who signed the letter include Jim Winkler, chief executive of the General Board of Church & Society; the Rev. David Adams, top executive of the General Commission on United Methodist Men; and Julie Taylor, executive secretary for Children, Youth and Family Advocacy of the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries.
“There is overwhelming support for this legislation by Americans across all political, demographic and geographic lines,” FUAT declares in its letter. “There are almost 700 national, state and local organizations supporting this legislation.” FUAT points out that both the President’s Cancer Panel and the Institute of Medicine support Congress giving the FDA authority to regulate manufacture and marketing of tobacco products. In its 2007 report, Ending the Tobacco Epidemic: A Blueprint for the Nation, the Institute of Medicine argued: “Product regulation by the FDA will advance tobacco control efforts in the United States and around the world. The proposed tobacco control legislation embodies the principles that should govern the regulation of tobacco products in the coming years.”
Legislation embodies the principles that should govern the regulation of tobacco products in the coming years.
If the FDA is given what FUAT calls “common-sense authority” to regulate tobacco products, it will be able to:
Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children.
Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children. Ban candy-flavored cigarettes, which clearly are starter products for young new smokers.
Require changes in tobacco products, such as the removal of harmful ingredients or the reduction of nicotine levels.
Prohibit health claims about so-called "reduced risk" products that are not scientifically proven or that would discourage current tobacco users from quitting or encourage new users to start.
Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco products, changes to their products and research about the health effects of their products.
Require larger and more informative health warnings on tobacco products.
Prohibit terms such as "light," "mild" and "low-tar" that mislead consumers into believing that certain cigarettes are safer than others.
The letter is signed by faith leaders across the country who “represent a broad cross section of faith denominations and organizations united in their support” for FDA regulation of tobacco products. Among other signers is the Rev. Michael Kinnamon, top executive of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.
Other faith groups represented are Southern Baptist Convention, United Church of Christ, Islamic Society of North America, Rabbinical Assembly, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, National Episcopal Health Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), National Association of Evangelicals, Church Women United, Seventh Day Adventists, Unitarian Universalist Assn. of Congregations, Presbyterian Church (USA) and Brethren Witness.
Others include Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, National Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Health MinistriesAssn., Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Internaitonal Parish Nurse Resource Center, American Baptist Churches of the South and American Baptist Churches USA.
The letter urges Senators to “do everything you can to make sure that we do not have to wait another year before doing what we can at the federal level to protect all of us, and particularly our children, from tobacco addiction and the devastation it causes.”
Tobacco, Alcohol and other Addictions
For more on tobacco and other additions, visit the Alcohol & Other Addictions page on the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) Web site: Alcohol & Other Addictions.
Action Network
The Rev. Cynthia Abrams, GBCS director of the Alcohol, Other Addictions and Health Care, supervises an “Action Network” that provides legislative updates, educational resources and identifies opportunities to act on issues involving alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, gambling and pornography. Information focuses on addiction recovery, prevention and regulation. She issues “action alerts” periodically through e-mail.
Joining the Alcohol & Other Addictions Action Network is free: go to umpower.org or click on My GBCS on the General Board of Church and Society Web site, www.umc-gbcs.org. You can also contact Donna Brandyberry, (202) 488-5641.
Cynthia Abrams can be reached at (202) 488-5636.
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