Tennessee’s senators were split on granting regulatory authority of tobacco to the FDA. Senator Bob Corker favored the bill, which passed the Senate 79 to 17.
Senator Lamar Alexander says the bill “does the right thing the wrong way.” Alexander feels the FDA is already overwhelmed. He wants regulation of tobacco products to instead go under the Department of Health and Human Services.
Corker says the bill ensures tobacco products face the same level of oversight as food and medicine, and it places an emphasis on prevention. He cites Tennessee Department of Health statistics that show nearly 10-thousand deaths in 2006 were caused by smoking.
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