TOBACCO CONTROL
In related news, as part of the annual process of funding the federal government, the House Appropriations Committee has moved two separate appropriations bills that provide big wins for Big Tobacco at the cost of public health. The House Agriculture, Food, and Drug Administration Appropriations Subcommittee – by voice-vote along party lines – passed their FY24 funding bill out of subcommittee. The bill includes two separate legislative riders: the first blocks the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from finalizing regulations to remove menthol from cigarettes and removes flavors from cigars, the second blocks the FDA from issuing a proposed rule to establish a low-nicotine product standard for combustible cigarettes.
The legislative riders would severely limit the FDA’s authority to regulate tobacco products and the cut to CDC funding will frustrate national, state, and local efforts to reduce the toll of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality in the U.S.
The Senate has yet to move forward on either the FY24 Agriculture or the FDA bill. The ATS will continue to advocate in Congress to preserve the FDA’s authority to regulate tobacco products and for funding of the CDC’s tobacco-control programs.
Last Reviewed: September 2023
