House Votes to Regulate Tobacco, Scotland Smoking Law Reduces Heart Attacks

News today on the tobacco front.  The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that allows the FDA to regulate the tobacco industry.  The bill would give the FDA the power to prohibit the marketing of cigarettes to children, disclose/reduce/ban tobacco ingredients, require additional health warnings, and ban flavored cigarettes (however, in a concession to the tobacco industry, the bill exempts menthol cigarettes).

The bill passed with enough votes to override a threatened veto from the president and it now goes to the Senate where its prospects for a veto-proof majority are less clear.

Articles on the passage of the House bill here, here, and here.

Also, Scotland’s ban on indoor smoking is being credited with a 17% drop in heart attacks, NEJM reports.  USA Today has an article on the study here.