Yesterday, the Senate approved The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which, if passed, would reduce youth smoking by 11% over the next decade. President Obama has already said he will sign the bill when it reaches his desk, resulting in a victory for anti-smoking advocates everywhere, including Washington group the Campaign Tobacco Free Kids .

With the new law in place, the FDA would have the ability to set standards forcing manufacturers to reduce nicotene content in cigarettes. It would also call for more restriction in cigarette advertisements, making outdoor advertisingof tobacco within 1,000 feet of schools illegal. Further, cigarette packages will no longer be allowed to use terms like “light” or “low tar,” and will be required to display large health-hazard graphics.

If passed, the law would be the first federal smoking regulation since 1988, when cigarettes were banned on commercial airplane flights.

-Marygrace, KIWI Staff writer