LCA Issues Statement on FDA Tobacco Regulation Bill

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PRESS RELEASE:

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WASHINGTON, June 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly endorsed the U.S. Senate version of the FDA tobacco regulation bill with a 307-97 vote -- an emphatic exclamation point for the successful conclusion of a decade long battle.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081016/LCALOGO)

The final stop is the President's desk and a signing ceremony is expected to be held next week.

Lung Cancer Alliance President Laurie Fenton Ambrose called its passage an historic moment in public history.

"This legislation recognizes that nicotine is a highly addictive drug that tobacco companies have deliberately used fraudulent and deceptive marketing to hook new smokers as young as possible, and must be regulated as the dangerous drug it is." she said.

"Hopefully this will help the millions of current smokers to finally quit once and for all," she said.

"And, hopefully too this will mark a new beginning for lung cancer research and early detection. Already over half of new cases are being diagnosed in former smokers and another 15% have never smoked at all," she pointed out.

"We have to stop blaming and start addressing the disease of lung cancer in its entirety. I believe that President Obama understands this and will start moving public health policy in this direction."

Lung Cancer Alliance (www.lungcanceralliance.org) is the only national non-profit organization solely dedicated to patient support and advocacy for the lung cancer community. LCA's mission is to lead the movement to reverse decades of stigma and neglect by empowering those with or at risk for the disease, elevating awareness and changing health policy.

Media Contact:

Kay Cofrancesco

kay@lungcanceralliance.org

202-463-2080

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(PRNewswire/USNewswire, LCA, June 12, 2009)