Tubbs Jones Votes to Support the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco C...( WASHINGTON July 30 -- Today Cong...),Health

WASHINGTON, July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones released this statement regarding the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. This legislation allows the FDA to require changes in tobacco products to protect the public health and will create a broad and effective authority over a product that is currently unregulated:

"The Congressional Black Caucus has worked for years with smoking cessation programs targeted at cutting the rate of smoking in African-American communities," said Rep. Tubbs Jones. "This is not the 'perfect bill' we all would have hoped for, however, this bill provides meaningful oversight and regulation of a product that is responsible for one in every three cancer deaths in the United States. I am alarmed that 21.6% of Ohio's youth are smokers and applaud the provisions of this bill that will require a study to be conducted looking at the prevalence of youth tobacco use. I am also pleased that the bill will require the federal government to work with state and local governments to develop strategies to prevent underage tobacco use in communities with a disproportionate use of menthol cigarettes by minority youth."

Specifically, provisions of the legislation include serious barriers to attempts to market to youth. The legislation would accomplish this by banning all outdoor tobacco advertising within 1,000 feet of schools and playgrounds and banning all remaining tobacco-brand sponsorships of sports and entertainment events.

Additionally, the legislation strictly regulates reduced harm products by prohibiting the use of descriptors, such as "light" or "low" on labels or in advertising.