President Barack Obama signed H.R.1256, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, into law on Monday.

The bill authorizes the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. Supporters say the measure will reduce teen smoking and make consumers more aware of the dangers of tobacco.

According to government data, American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest tobacco use rates in the nation. Native youth report the highest rates of smoking.

“Kids today don’t just start smoking for no reason, Obama said yesterday. “They’re aggressively targeted as customers by the tobacco industry. They’re exposed to a constant and insidious barrage of advertising where they live, where they learn and where they play.”

Get the Story:
Occasional Smoker, 47, Signs Tobacco Bill (The New York Times 6/23)

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