On June 12, 2009, Congress passed a legislation empowering the Food and Drug Administration to regulate cigarettes and tobacco products. Just one day after the Senate approved the bill, the House decided to forgo its own version of the bill and passed the Senate bill with a final vote of 307-97. President Obama stated he will promptly sign the bill into law. Enactment of such legislation will end a long battle over the years to give FDA the authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products. The bill, authorizes sweeping regulation of the tobacco industry.

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