His bill is backed by dozens of other senators and Altria Group Inc. unit Philip Morris USA, maker of top-selling Marlboro cigarettes...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate health committee said on Thursday it will take action next week on a bill that would let the Food and Drug Administration regulate cigarettes, an idea widely supported by public health groups.
Committee Chairman Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, scheduled the committee session for July 18. His bill is backed by dozens of other senators and Altria Group Inc. unit Philip Morris USA, maker of top-selling Marlboro cigarettes.
The bill, opposed by smaller cigarette makers, would let the FDA restrict tobacco advertising; prevent the sale of cigarettes to minors; require stronger warning labels; bar misrepresentation of tobacco's dangers; and order removal of harmful ingredients from cigarettes.
It would also set standards for "reduced-risk" tobacco products, which could not be marketed as safer than regular cigarettes without FDA verification. A similar bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives.
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