FDA to regulate tobacco industry

New York Times: Senate approves regulation of tobacco industry by FDA

The Food and Drug Administration will be able to impose potentially strict new controls on the making and marketing of products that eventually kill half their regular users. The House, which passed a similar bill in April, may vote on the Senate version as soon as Friday.

The Senate passed the bill Thursday by a vote of 79 to 17. The only Democrat voting against it was Kay Hagan of the North Carolina, the leading tobacco-growing state.

“This is a historic step changing the nature of tobacco in society forever,” said Clifford E. Douglas, the director of the University of MichiganTobacco Research Network, which has extensively studied the health effects of smoking and was one of many groups that have long pushed for tobacco regulation.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State to take on Tennessee's coal ash waste

ARKANSAS: Sens. Lincoln and Pryor vote for FDA oversight of tobacco

FLORIDA: Seminole Tribe not likely to approve Gov. Crist's casino deal

GEORGIA: Shaw Industries to build carpet-to-energy plant

KENTUCKY: Special legislative session to start Monday

LOUISIANA: House unexpectedly approves Senate's budget bill

MISSISSIPPI: House leader urges Gov. Barbour to stay in state for budget discussions

NORTH CAROLINA: House Democrats want $780 million in new taxes to save jobs, programs

SOUTH CAROLINA: National Board of GOP wants Gov. Sanford to run for president

TENNESSEE: Gov. Bredesen calls Senate GOP budget cuts "stupid"

VIRGINIA: Virginia women's prison segregates lesbians, 'masculine looking women' in 'butch wing'

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