KEY FINDINGS
This report grades national tobacco control efforts on four fronts: Food and Drug Administration Regulation of Tobacco Products, Federal Cessation Policy, Cigarette Excise Tax, and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
National Tobacco Control Policy
Smoking has caused more than 12 million deaths in the United States since the first Surgeon General’s Report on smoking in 1964.2 Despite these staggering numbers, Congress has failed to garner the political will necessary to respond to this burgeoning epidemic. The United States needs a comprehensive national tobacco control policy. The American Lung Association supports federal action on the following policies.
Food and Drug Administration Regulation of Tobacco Products
The American Lung Association supports strong legislation that grants the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products. Strong FDA regulatory authority would include the following elements: regulation of advertising and marketing of tobacco products, health information disclosure, a requirement for tobacco products to meet a “public health” standard, disclosure of ingredients, effective health warnings, authority to reduce or eliminate harmful components, and authority to review reduced-risk health claims. Additional information on the FDA issue can be found in the “Critical Elements of Any Legislation to Grant FDA Authority to Regulate Tobacco Products” factsheet by clicking here.
The United States receives an F for FDA authority to regulate tobacco products. After failing to pass FDA legislation in 2004, a strong FDA bill was once again introduced. Although the bill had strong bipartisan support, with 21 Senators and 84 Representatives as co-sponsors as of November 2005, congressional leaders would not allow the legislation to be considered for a vote.
Federal Cessation Policy
The American Lung Association supports the recommendations laid out by the Department of Health and Human Services-appointed Subcommittee on Cessation of the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health (ICSH) in the National Action Plan for Tobacco Cessation.
The plan proposed a well-funded national quitline network, national media campaign, federal coverage of cessation benefits, and a smokers’ fund to assist people trying to quit. Currently 44.5 million Americans smoke.3 Seventy percent of smokers say that they want to quit.4
Progress was made with the announcement that Medicare will now cover smoking cessation counseling for most of its beneficiaries. However, the United States still receives an F for federal cessation policy as it has failed to implement the recommendations of the ICSH.
Federal Cigarette Excise Tax
The American Lung Association supports the recommendations in the National Action Plan for Tobacco Cessation to raise the federal cigarette excise tax by $2.00 per pack and earmark the dollars raised for a smokers’ health fund to help smokers quit. The federal government has not raised the cigarette tax since 2002. During that same timeframe, 36 states have passed a cigarette tax increase at least once!
The United States receives an F for cigarette tax. The current federal excise tax is a meager $0.39 per pack.
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
The American Lung Association supports the rapid ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The FCTC is an international legal instrument that sets standards that countries can adopt to control tobacco use and addiction. A full review of the FCTC and its treaty obligations can be found by clicking here.
The United States receives a D for the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. In May 2004, the United States signed the convention but the president has yet to send it to the U.S. Senate for ratification. The treaty will not be in force in the United States until the U.S. Senate ratifies it.
Key Findings Continued... |
