According to the New York Times, the House of Representatives approved legislation on Wednesday that would give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco industry.

Taking into account the record of warnings about smoking risk and the fact that smoking causes one in five deaths in the U.S., John D. Dingell, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, asserted that it was unbelievable that the federal government hadn’t regulated the tobacco products yet. “With this legislation, we change this,” added Dingell.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 326 to 102 to approve the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, supported by Philip Morris USA, the nation's biggest cigarette company. The deal includes a concession made by this corporation allowing for continued retailing of menthol-flavored cigarettes, more than 25% of the market, while prohibiting other flavors. It is said that this is a discrimination against black people, the main menthol consumers.

The Bush administration goes up against the measure, claiming it would weaken FDA credibility. The bill was also backed by most public health organizations such as the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society. However, several longstanding supporters of anti-smoking initiatives believe the agreement reached with Philip Morris is too lenient for the tobacco industry.

The bill explicitly says that the FDA’s new rights would stop short of the possibility to direct the removal of the deadly nicotine from tobacco products or completely ban all tobacco products.

Nonetheless, the nicotine amounts could be decreased to non-addictive levels if it is established that this way public health would have anything to gain. The agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services could also call for changes in tobacco products, such as the cutback or elimination of other hazardous substances.