Attend Day on the Hill & Combat Recent FDA Regulation Developments
USST and Swedish Match Join PM in Supporting FDA Regulation of Tobacco

AWMA needs distributor members to register for our upcoming Day on the Hill, May 7-8, in Washington, DC, to help combat a recent surge in support for the FDA regulation of tobacco, including the recent change of position on FDA regulation by two major tobacco manufacturers.

AWMA has obtained letters indicating  that two more manufacturers – U.S. Smokeless Tobacco and Swedish Match, have joined Philip Morris in supporting Congressional efforts to regulate tobacco. Both letters use similar language to pin support to a version of the legislation presented March 6 to the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health.

“I am writing to advise you that UST Inc. and U.S, Smokeless Tobacco Company now supports HR 1108, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. . . We look forward to working with you to move this important legislation through the House and Senate during the 110th Congress, said UST Chairman Murray Kessler in a letter dated March 5.   The letter was sent to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) and Health Subcommittee Chair Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ).  Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) also received a copy of the letter.

Swedish Match’s support for FDA regulation was outlined in a letter dated the same day, March 5, and using the exact same language.  That letter, sent by Gerry Roerty, the company’s Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel, states that “Swedish Match North America now supports HR 1108, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. . . We will continue to work with you and your staffs to move this important legislation through the committee process, as well as the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.”

AWMA respects the right of its manufacturer members, for their own reasons, to hold different views regarding the advantages to their companies of FDA regulation of tobacco.  However, AWMA remains opposed to this effort believing that this legislation is overly broad and is being rushed through Congress without proper deliberation and study of the impact such a bill will have upon virtually every aspect of tobacco manufacture, distribution, marketing, sales and consumer acceptability. In particular, we remain convinced that FDA regulation of tobacco products is likely to wind up being extremely burdensome for distributors.

Register TODAY for AWMA’s Day on the Hill

Combating the effort to bring about FDA regulation of tobacco will be our flagship issue at AWMA’s Day on the Hill, May 7-8, 2008.  We need distributors to register now to come to Washington, DC and participate in Day on the Hill by visiting your legislators and outlining your opposition to FDA regulation of tobacco.

We recognize that it takes valuable time away from distributors’ businesses to come to Washington to participate in Day on the Hill.   However, if this draconian FDA regulation legislation passes – and distributors haven’t participated in our effort stop it  – we believe this failure to participate will be regretted for a long time.

The AWMA staff will set up meetings with distributors’ legislators and provide all of the briefing materials and guidance necessary for the meetings.  Don’t put it off any longer. Register today by simply clicking HERE.