Senator Brown Leads Fight to Protect America's Kids fr...( WASHINGTON June 11 -- The Campaign f...),Health

WASHINGTON, June 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids applauds U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown for leading the fight in the U.S. Senate to pass historic legislation that gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products, including the authority to crack down on tobacco marketing and sales to kids. The U.S. Senate today approved the bipartisan bill 79 to 17. The House has approved similar legislation, and Congress is expected to quickly send a final bill to President Obama, who is eager to sign it into law. We also thank Senator George Voinovich who voted for final passage of the legislation.

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Senator Brown is a co-sponsor of the legislation and successfully offered an amendment in committee to make it a priority for the FDA to investigate the sale and marketing of new, candy-like smokeless tobacco products, called Camel Orbs, which are being test-marketed in Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Portland, Oregon. He also voted against every effort to weaken or delay the bill.

"Senator Brown has been a leader in this historic effort to protect our children from tobacco addiction and save lives," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "This legislation represents the strongest action Congress has ever taken to reduce tobacco use, the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. If effectively implemented, this legislation will significantly reduce the number of children who start to use tobacco, the number of adults who continue to use tobacco and the number of people who suffer and die as a result."

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