What is your opinion on the subject of FDA regulating tobacco products?
See WSJ blog at link below
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/07/23/bush-administration-opposes-fda-regulation-of-tobacco/
Answers (4)
William D
Contract/Relationship Management and Regulatory Compliance International Business
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The problem with regulating such as tobacco or alcohol is that we deny personal responsibility for the choices we make. Government regulation and intervention in these areas, is a misguided use of the commerce clause of the Constitution.
Besides the FDA has shown a decided lack of ability to regulate the catagories presently under its jurisdiction.
Brian D. M
Training and Education Executive - 15 years experience
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Regulate nothing.
A health organization should not manage and regulate an addictive killer. Driving the public to think a cigarette is "FDA" regulated and approved give the wrong impression. Now if cigarettes were regulated by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, this would be a step in the right direction.
Todd L
Director of Internal Audit at Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole
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I wonder if free marketers are similarly against regulation of slaughterhouses and many other things that the FDA or some other government entity currently regulates?
Personally, I believe society needs to move beyond the regulatory mindset and move toward a transparent information mindset.
The FDA shouldn't necessarily regulate tobacco, but should act as an objective distributor of information. Lay people may not read JAMA, but the FDA could provide lay education about the many sides of any issue that might need potential regulation.
Provide people with information and allow them to make their own critical decisions.
Ken R
Senior Systems Manager at AT&T - Midrange Operational Security and Compliance Team.
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At this point in human evolution, regulation has its place, but should only be used in moderation. The problem that we see now is that no one is apparently responsible for their own actions. Personal accountability is something that society doesn't see as something that should be enforced, and that everything is always someone else's fault and responsibility. This is one of the core problems with current society, and why many of our current issues exist (and why we have this economic downturn).
The regulation as far as having to put warnings on the packaging for tobacco products is reasonable, as well as some of the regulations in place to attempt to ensure that tobacco companies are not doing things that will further enhance the addictive nature of the substance. Much of the rest is not. People have to take responsibility for their own lives. If they choose to smoke and have to pay higher health insurance for themselves, then so be it.
The only tricky part that I have mixed feelings on is that around second-hand smoke. I know that there are many "no smoking" ordinances in many communities, cities, and states. I do not feel that these have been implemented correctly. For certain establishments, like bars, let free market forces help decide whether they want to be a smoking or non-smoking establishment.
However, for others, instead of an outright ban, which infringes on the right of smokers to slowly, potentially kill themselves, there should be a set of reasonable guidelines where the business can cater to both their smoking and non-smoking customers, as well as their employees.
The FDA is both good and evil when it comes to regulation. In the same breath, we see necessary and excessive regulation. There must be some check-and-balance (non-political) put in place that could limit the FDA to only what is necessary, and allow people to take responsibility for themselves, having the relevant information that they need.
