Panel Suggests U.S. Subsidize, Direct Tobacco
A presidential commission recommended Friday that the Food and Drug Administration regulate tobacco for health reasons and that the government compensate farmers who agree to stop growing the crop.
In September, then-President Clinton named tobacco farmers, anti-smoking advocates and economic development experts to the panel, with a goal of aiding the farmers financially while protecting the public from smoking hazards.
In its preliminary report, the 10-member commission agreed unanimously that the FDA should regulate the manufacture, sale, distribution and labeling of tobacco products to protect public health.
Andrew Shepherd, a commission member and Virginia tobacco grower, said farmers who once wore baseball caps reading “Keep the FDA off the farm” now see the advantages of regulation.
“As a consumer, I certainly wouldn’t mind a lot more information on that [cigarette] pack--where it’s from, how it’s manufactured and what else is in there,” Shepherd said.
The report was forwarded to President Bush. His press secretary, Ari Fleischer, declined to comment, saying it had not yet been reviewed.
A final report from the commission is due in May.
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