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• Government of Canada invests $20 million in anti-tobacco activities 

The Honourable Gordon O'Connor, Minister of National Revenue today announced a $20 million investment over the next four years to combat contraband tobacco and its damaging effects on the health of Canadians.

"Today the Government of Canada is announcing an investment of $20 million to combat contraband tobacco and to reduce the amount of tobacco that Canadians consume," said Minister O'Connor. "Contraband tobacco negatively affects all Canadians and our Government is determined to fight the problem."

This important investment will help in two key areas: strengthening tobacco control; and advancing initiatives aimed at reducing the availability of illegal tobacco products and the consumption of tobacco in Canada.

Taxing tobacco products at a high level is an important element

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DRAFT August, 15, 2008 (PDF) 

On January 3, 2008, Governor Haley Barbour announced the creation of a public-private Blue Ribbon Tax Study Commission (the Commission) developed to study Mississippi’s tax code and recommend reforms. Nationally, state tax systems are becoming obsolete and are not keeping up with the ever-changing United States economy. Piecemeal updates are no longer sufficient and comprehensive examinations are needed. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 37 states have conducted tax studies since 2000 to revisit how they assess taxes on their people.

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• DRAFT REPORT OF TAX STUDY COMMISSION AVAILABLE AT WWW.GOVERNORBARBOUR.COM 

A draft report of Governor Haley Barbour's special tax study commission has been posted online, allowing more public access and input before initial votes are taken next week.

The draft report can be accessed on the home page of the Governor's website . . .

The Governor said any adjustments in the state tax code should complement federal and local tax codes in providing a stable source of revenue for essential public services while encouraging economic growth and job creation.

To view a copy of the draft report of the Tax Study Commission, click here.

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H.R.1108: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Reported in House)  

`(a) In General- No person may introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce any modified risk tobacco product unless an order issued pursuant to subsection (g) is effective with respect to such product.

`(b) Definitions- In this section:

`(1) MODIFIED RISK TOBACCO PRODUCT- The term `modified risk tobacco product' means any tobacco product that is sold or distributed for use to reduce harm or the risk of tobacco -related disease associated with commercially marketed tobacco products.

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House Report 110-762 - FAMILY SMOKING PREVENTION AND TOBACCO CONTROL ACT: DISSENTING VIEWS  

The government has a legitimate interest in protecting minors from the use of tobacco products. The proposed advertising regulations in H.R. 1108, however, are over broad and impermissibly restrictive. They are clearly unconstitutional.

JOE BARTON.

STEVE BUYER.

JOSEPH R. PITTS.

MARSHA BLACKBURN.

NATHAN DEAL.

GEORGE RADANOVICH.

JOHN SULLIVAN.

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H.R.1108: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act: HR 1108 EH  

AN ACT

To protect the public health by providing the Food and Drug Administration with certain authority to regulate tobacco products.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act'. . . .

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) The use of tobacco products by the Nation's children is a pediatric disease of considerable proportions that results in new generations of tobacco-dependent children and adults.

(2) A consensus exists within the scientific and medical communities that tobacco products are inherently dangerous and cause cancer, heart disease, and other serious adverse health effects.

(3) Nicotine is an addictive drug.

(4) Virtually all new users of tobacco products are under the minimum legal age to purchase such products.

(5) Tobacco advertising and marketing contribute significantly to the use of nicotine-containing tobacco products by adolescents.

(6) Because past efforts to restrict advertising and marketing of tobacco products have failed adequately to curb tobacco use by adolescents, comprehensive restrictions on the sale, promotion, and distribution of such products are needed.

(7) Federal and State governments have lacked the legal and regulatory authority and resources they need to address comprehensively the public health and societal problems caused by the use of tobacco products.

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• H.R.1108: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act  

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

SEC. 4. SCOPE AND EFFECT.

SEC. 5. SEVERABILITY.

TITLE I--AUTHORITY OF THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

SEC. 101. AMENDMENT OF FEDERAL FOOD, DRUG, AND COSMETIC ACT.

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S.625  

February 15, 2007

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

SEC. 4. SCOPE AND EFFECT.

SEC. 5. SEVERABILITY.

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• FTC Approves Federal Register Notice Extending Comment Period on Current Cigarette Test Method 

The Commission has approved a Federal Register notice announcing a one-month extension of the public comment period related to its proposal to rescind guidance concerning the current cigarette testing method. As detailed in a For Your Information press release issued earlier this month, the Commission has proposed rescinding its guidance, issued in 1966, indicating that factual statements of tar and nicotine yields based on the Cambridge Filter Method generally will not violate the FTC Act. At the same time, the Commission announced that if it rescinds the guidance, advertisers should not thereafter use terms such as “per FTC Method” or other phrases that state or imply FTC endorsement or approval of the Cambridge Method or other machine-based methods. The original public comment on the FTC’s proposal was set to end on August 12, 2008. The FTC has now extended the public comment period until September 12, 2008.

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• Governor Schwarzenegger Joins Entertainment Industry Foundation and Major Hollywood Studios to Deliver Anti-Smoking Ads on Youth-Rated Movies  

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined with the California Health and Human Services Agency, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and major Hollywood studios today to announce an unprecedented agreement that will help protect children around the nation from tobacco use by placing California's anti-smoking ads before tens of millions of viewers watching motion picture DVDs that include scenes with tobacco use. Under the agreement, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Time Warner, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Studios and Twentieth Century Fox will place California's anti-smoking ads in the opening minutes of DVDs of all new movies with tobacco use that are rated G, PG and PG-13.

"By agreeing to include our anti-smoking ads in the opening minutes of DVDs that contain tobacco use, we will reach millions of young movie viewers with a proven anti-smoking message at no expense to taxpayers," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "This is a great day for the health and welfare of our young people, and it is another example of what you can accomplish when you bring everyone together for the greater good." . . .

In addition to the announcement, California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Mark Horton sent a letter to National CineMedia to urge it to consider donating time to run the state's anti-smoking ads before movies shown in theaters that contain smoking. . . .

More information can be found at www.TobaccoFreeCa.com.

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Proposal to Rescind FTC Guidance (PDF) 

SUMMARY: The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC” or “Commission”) is proposing to rescind its guidance that it is generally not a violation of the FTC Act to make factual statements of the tar and nicotine yields of cigarettes when statements of such yields are supported by testing conducted pursuant to the Cambridge Filter Method, also frequently referred to as “the FTC Test Method.” If it withdraws this guidance, advertisers should not use terms such as “per FTC Method” or other phrases that state or imply FTC endorsement or approval of the Cambridge Filter Method or other machine-based test methods. The Commission seeks public comments on its proposal.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 12, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments. Comments should refer to

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• FTC Proposes Rescinding 40-Year Guidance on Statements Concerning Tar and Nicotine Yields 

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed rescinding guidance issued in 1966 that generally permits statements concerning tar and nicotine yields if they are based on the Cambridge Filter Method, which is sometimes referred to as "the FTC Method." If the guidance is withdrawn, advertisers should no longer use terms suggesting the FTC's endorsement or approval of any specific test method. . . .

Today, however, the scientific consensus is that machine-based measurements of tar and nicotine yields based on the Cambridge Filter Method do not provide meaningful information on the amounts of tar and nicotine smokers receive from cigarettes or on the relative amounts of tar and nicotine they are likely to receive from smoking different brands of cigarettes. The primary reason for this is smoker compensation . . .

The proposal can be found on the FTC's Web site as a link to this press release. It will be published soon in the Federal Register, and the comment period will end 30 days thereafter. Interested parties are invited to submit comments. . . .

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Iowa Smokefree Air Act 

The Smokefree Air Act was signed into law by Governor Chet Culver on April 15, 2008. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2008. Smoking will be regulated in public places, places of employment, and certain outdoor areas. The Smokefree Air Act outlines areas where smoking is prohibited, areas where smoking is not regulated, enforcement details, and scheduled penalties for persons and businesses that violate the law.

Important Updates

* The Iowa State Board of Health has adopted the administrative rules that accompany the SmokefreeAir Act.

* The rules, which will have the authority of law when the Act goes into effect July 1, outline how implementation and enforcement of the new law will take place.

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Question 5 The Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act  

Faced with competing initiatives on smoking bans in public places, Nevadans voted on November 7, 2006 to enact the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act (Question 5) in order to protect themselves and their families from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Question 5 received over 54 percent of the vote and became law on December 8, 2006.

The Act states that smoking tobacco in any form is prohibited within indoor places of employment including:

* Public and private school buildings and on public and private school grounds

* Child care facilities with five or more children

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Cornyn Asks VA to Investigate Troubling New Claims by Media  

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today requested that the Department of Veterans Affairs report to Congress without delay on the validity of news reports indicating drugs with negative mental health side effects are being tested on U.S. combat veterans. After an initial inquiry to the VA this morning, Sen. Cornyn followed up with a letter to VA Secretary James B. Peake. The full text of the letter is here.

"I've requested that VA Secretary Peake look into the allegations and, if needed, take the immediate steps necessary to identify the responsible parties, provide appropriate care to any veterans who have undergone this testing, and ensure that any unethical practices are immediately brought to a halt," Sen. Cornyn said. "Our wounded troops and veterans deserve the very best in care, but unfortunately, recent studies and incidents illustrate that some VA services have failed to live up to the standard of excellence that is expected. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure any negligence in the care of our troops and veterans is identified and properly addressed."

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