Jump to full article: Raleigh (NC) News & Observer, 2009-06-11
Author: Barbara Barrett - Staff Writer
Intro: Government would have broad new authority to regulate tobacco products, slash nicotine and restrict advertising under historic legislation overwhelmingly approved this afternoon by the U.S. Senate.
Health advocates cheered the 79-17 passage of the bill, saying it could prevent thousands of deaths in the future. One of every five Americans uses tobacco, and smoking-related disease kills nearly half a million a year - more than any other preventable cause of death.
But North Carolina tobacco interests said new regulation would cost jobs, hurt farmers, and maintain the market dominance of tobacco giant Phillip Morris of Virginia, maker of Marlboros.
Gov. Beverly Perdue, who just signed into law a smoking ban in most public places in the state, said she nonetheless disagrees with FDA regulation because it would overstep regulatory bounds in restricting adult choices.
"I'm concerned about the direction this conversation is going," Perdue said in an interview.
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