From the American Cancer Society regarding the bill just passed:


Breaking News: Congress and the President kick tobacco's butts

I'm writing with momentous news! Next week, President Obama will sign the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law. Thanks to your support, this law will help save countless lives.

This is a huge victory for the health of all Americans – and a major step forward in our fight against cancer. Just take a look at what the new law does:


Tobacco companies must reveal all product ingredients to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and seek FDA approval for any new products.


Our nation's children – potential first-time smokers – will no longer be seduced by flavored tobacco products, including candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes, which will be banned.


Consumers won't be misled by cigarettes labeled "light," "mild," or "low-tar" as healthier choices. These terms have also been banned.


Warning labels will be clearly visible, taking up at least half of the front and back of cigarette packages.


No more public cigarette vending machines in places where IDs haven't been checked.


Children will be further protected from tobacco advertisements and sponsorships, which will be banned near schools and playgrounds and at sports or entertainment events. The law also restricts colorful store displays.

It's not easy to stand up to an enemy like Big Tobacco, but that's what Congress did and what President Obama will do next week. That's because there's nothing more powerful than the voices of real people, all across the country, fighting for change that will save lives.

Help us thank our leaders in Washington for listening and passing this historic piece of legislation. Sign our thank-you note now.

For decades, the American Cancer Society has led the fight against tobacco, and along with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), has long fought for bipartisan legislation to prevent children and teens from smoking.

However, the true leaders in this fight have been people just like you who through your financial support and volunteer efforts helped pass this critical legislation. In just the past few weeks, volunteers have held dozens of meetings, made more than 5,000 phone calls and sent 18,500 emails to our nation's lawmakers.

Please remember to thank our leaders in Washington for making public health and the health of our children a priority. Sign our thank-you note now.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates this law could reduce youth smoking by 11 percent and adult smoking by 2 percent during the next decade. That means there will be far fewer lives lost to cancer caused by tobacco.

On behalf of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN – and the many people whose lives this legislation will help save – thank you so much for your continued support to help people get well and stay well, to find cures, and to fight back against cancer.

This one piece of historic legislation will help us create a future with many more birthdays. That's truly something to celebrate.

With thanks,


John R. Seffrin, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

For all those who continue to smoke:

The curtain is falling.

While I think some of these are good ideas, like listing all ingredients and eliminating the misleading labeling of lights, low tar and mild. Do the warning labels really need to larger? Will that help anything? And do flavored cigs really cause children to want to smoke? We have fruit flavored alcohol and no one accuses those of being marketed at kids. And are store advets really that horrible?

...boy will i rest easy now..knowing i can die from all the pollution by big companies,additives in foods and BPA attaching itself to my genetics through plastics and all the stress done by wall street..damn i'm starting to feel better already...

Gonna have to be a really big pack of cigs. There are 599 added ingredients. Wow....
40 % tobacco and 60 % other.

Kat

Yea, I agree. I am definitely going to rest easier too. Knowing all the poisons in our households, carpets, paints, etc... All the outside pollutions, all the food additives that are dangerous to us. Pesticides, acid rain, the sun, steroids in the meat, mother nature in general, etc... and so on, cigs being labeled better should ease my mind completely to what is definitely going to kill me.

This is a great piece of legislation. The whole point is:

The curtain is falling.

Bitch all you want. Your foul habit which pollutes the air of all around you is slowly but surely going the way of the dinosaur.

The curtain is NOT falling. Why do you ask??? Well the tobacco industry makes money and with increased taxes on the products, the government gets a good chunk. Plus (might I add) there is talk of legalizing pot. Again, why???? So the government can get taxes on it. Can you say cha-ching? It's about money and the government isn't going to let that go.

now for what the law will do...

Tobacco companies must reveal all product ingredients to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and seek FDA approval for any new products.

nothing wrong with that...a lot of smokers know these things. but if they reduce the amount....people will just buy more often. $$$$


Our nation's children – potential first-time smokers – will no longer be seduced by flavored tobacco products, including candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes, which will be banned.

ok...I throw the BS flag on that. Kids have been smoking LONG before these came out and not many kids (at least around here) want those anyway. Do they REALLY think that will stop anything?


Consumers won't be misled by cigarettes labeled "light," "mild," or "low-tar" as healthier choices. These terms have also been banned.

so...they color code them instead...they still mean the same things. the packaging just looks pretty and colorful. it will probably make them more appealing to the eye


Warning labels will be clearly visible, taking up at least half of the front and back of cigarette packages.

my great grandfather used to call them coffin nails back in the day. they knew back then they weren't healthy and today....people are even more aware. Do they REALLY think people will read the labels just because they are bigger?


No more public cigarette vending machines in places where IDs haven't been checked.

not sure about other places, but the only vending machine for them around here are in the bars...which you have to be 21


Children will be further protected from tobacco advertisements and sponsorships, which will be banned near schools and playgrounds and at sports or entertainment events. The law also restricts colorful store displays.

like kids have never seen them before???? again...I don't see this making an impact




it's all about money...nothing more. and the government wants all the money they can get

ahhhh Jimmy...I owe you an apology. I assumed you were liberal

LOL well personal agenda revealed...lol I hope it doesn't disappoint when you can't make it go away all the way like you would want.

This is America and we have rights over our own lives. We may have to smoke outside but until we your fellow Americans feel ready to quit noone can make us.

This is great. Rose and Dragoness on the same side of an issue. I love both of you, but you have to admit that you're days are numbered.

Yes, the curtain is falling. Has been falling for many years.

Rose, kudos for reading the ACS's memo and responding. Can't say that I agree with you but at least you responded to what was posted rather than just venting indiscriminately.

well...I made the same arguments in the last one too. It's all about money to the government....it won't be made illegal or done away with. sorry charlie. and they may tack on pot so they can tax that too

face it...the tobacco industry is a big industry

and......didn't admit my days are numbered.

I don't believe for a minute that we all do know the absolute dangers of cigarrettes.
The number one poison found is nocotine. The numer one. Afetr it is lit it becomes even more so. It actually becomes many more and much higher in its poisonous effects.

We do have a right to kill ourselves, but we do not have the right to expose others to our deathwish.

Kat

Oh...and I do believe it is all about the money...money that they would save trying to keep us alive by getting rid of them, they would save save save. Our smoking habits cost the government and non smoking citizens billions.

Kat

like I have said before...I don't. If a non-smoker makes the choice to be around me...then they made that choice. I don't go around them when I smoke. like I said also....way back when...they might not have known the exact dangers...but YES they knew they were unhealthy and people have died from it

Send "Lawyers,Guns and Money".

I'm sure the government can use them now all this time I thought you were liberal Jimmy

I consider myself slightly left of center. And a big Warren Zevon fan.

Lovely...the government is "looking" out for our health again...

it's for our best interest since, we adults, need to be told