Should the FDA have oversight of tobacco?

Filed under: Health in the Media

The Food and Drug Administration has regulatory approval over food and drugs (over the counter and prescription) in the U.S. -- so why not tobacco? Maybe it doesn't want it.

This past week, the chief of the FDA (who has a dubious past) stated that he proposed a bill giving oversight authority to the FDA when it came to tobacco regulation.

Eschenbach's reason: regulating tobacco could undermine the FDA's role in protecting public health. I'm not so sure the FDA is doing the best job at that anyway. The FDA does not want to be in charge of products that, when used as intended, 'produce disease rather than promote health,' according to the FDA leader.

[via] That's Fit