A law to protect the public health

The new Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which was signed in June of this year, takes steady aim at the tobacco industry and is designed to protect the nation’s youth. Following are some of its mandates:

• Gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products
• Requires tobacco companies to reveal all product ingredients

• Bans the sale of flavored tobaccos, except for menthol

• Limits advertising that could attract youth

• Prohibits distribution of free samples of cigarettes

• Eliminates the use of the terms “light,” “low” and “mild” on tobacco products

• Requires that warning labels cover 50 percent of the front and rear of each pack, with the word ‘Warning’ in capital letters