WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Barack Obama said Friday he looked forward to signing a bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco.

President Obama, speaking to reporters Friday, said the tobacco bill was a "long time coming." He said the bill was a "long time coming," and said he was pleased that the House of Representatives and Senate acted "swiftly" in passing it.

The Senate passed the bill on Thursday, and the House passed the Senate's version on Friday by a vote of 307-97.

The House had passed a similar measure in April, but needed to approve the Senate version, which passed Thursday.

The Senate passed the bill 79-17 Thursday, with most Senate opposition coming from tobacco-producing states, including Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. In a break from tradition, Virginia's two senators supported the proposal.

The legislation would give the FDA power to ban candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes, widely considered appealing to first-time smokers, including youths. It would prohibit tobacco companies from using terms such as "low tar," "light" or "mild," require larger warning labels on packages, and restrict advertising of tobacco products.

It also would require tobacco companies to reduce levels of nicotine in cigarettes.

Altria Group, which owns Philip Morris USA, the nation's biggest cigarette company, called the vote "an important step forward on this legislation."

But it expressed "First Amendment reservations about certain provisions, including those that could restrict a manufacturer's ability to communicate truthful information to adult consumers about tobacco products."

Phillip Morris makes such brands as Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Chesterfield and Basic.

There was no immediate response from R.J. Reynolds, which makes Camel, Kool, Winston and Salem cigarettes.




reduce the nicotine just increases sales - oh wait they just raised the prices on smokes, hmmmmmmmmmmm

so with this...are they going to cut the taxes down too????

Imma write that suggestion and forward to my congressman

yeah right

they are going to regulate how much tobacco can go into each cig

they are going to regulate how they can be made

they are going to regulate what can go into them(that may be good thing)

but those regs need regulators

regulators cost money

if something costs money

someone has to pay

and businesses just pass costs on to the customer

so who pays the customer

another tax blind

all about control I guess...oh and money. I smoke the fruit flavored sigarettes because the price on the others are too expensive.

Money, taxes, gov't control, medical costs, children, this can has a lot of worms. I am not much in favor of regulation for most things, however, if this bill causes Rose to live longer, I'm all for it.

ahhhhhhh

keep in mind though....it keeps me nice too. you should see what I'm like without them...not pretty lol. I wouldn't wish me on anyone like that

Regulte banks, mortgage companies, auto industries, cigarrettes, wait until they get to the hygienic tools we use, paper tissue, tooth paste, etc.

Like the commercial with the bear - someone will be in the bathroom with each of us, making sure we only use the allotted number of squares of paper toilet.

Hell I didn't know they had fruit flavored nor candy flavored cigs.

Considering some of the stuff they were adding to cigs this might be a good thing.

I need to quit anyway, starting to really huff going up stairs these days.

I just have to pick a date and let it go.

Sure hate to though, it is my only bad habit, then I will really be a square....lol

I say we all quit at once the Mods wouldn't know what to do with all of us at once (kidding Mods)

Your not kidding, the last time I quit my kids asked me to please start smoking again....lol Poor kids.

Sure cheer Rose on why dontcha

fran

dragoness...my familt bought me a pack because i was too b*tchy

I'm back down on the border and even with the import tax, I only pay $25.00 a carton for Marlboros. U.S. regs don't apply to Mexico.

Guess I am just going to write in to my local government and see what other habits I can freely enjoy without regulations do these exist

I am sure if my kids would have been old enough they would have bought me some too....lol

It is a terrible habit to break.

regulate the price of gas - which has been increasing daily for the last 45 days

stay outta my smokes

Yea well don't hold your breath on that one, the leader of Napac or whatever they are called said he was hoarding oil until the price per barrel hit 80 dollars and it was only 71 yesterday.

The legislation would give the FDA power to ban candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes, widely considered appealing to first-time smokers, including youths. kids have been smoking even before they made these

It would prohibit tobacco companies from using terms such as "low tar," "light" or "mild," then how would they distinguish them from regular????

require larger warning labels on packages, and restrict advertising of tobacco products. ok...when my grandmother was young...they used to call them coffin nails. bigger labels aren't going to matter and restriction on advertising won't stop people from knowing about them

It also would require tobacco companies to reduce levels of nicotine in cigarettes. reduce the levels...reduce the price. If someone is used to a certain level of nictine...they will just buy more to get that level.....hmmmmmm more money spent?

the game is afoot