Group rallies for regulation of tobacco

By: Amy Weaver | Opelika Auburn News
Published: April 05, 2008

This could be the year the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finally regulates tobacco.

Students like Auburn University senior Kylee Patrick sure hope so. She leads Ignite Auburn, a student group out to raise awareness about the hazards of smoking.

Ignite members on the Plains and across the country will participate in a “Day of Action” today to raise awareness about the same tobacco issue. This year’s topic is the lack of FDA regulations for tobacco. Local students will be at Toomer’s Corner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with signs and candy.

To say that the FDA keeps things like arsenic out of lollipops, but not out of cigarettes seems funny, but Patrick said it’s not.

The fact that tobacco is one of the only unregulated consumable products on the market today is ridiculous, she said.

“It makes absolutely no sense,” she said.

Patrick said the legislature could be discussing the issue again soon and even vote within the coming weeks. She said U.S. Senators Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions and Rep. Mike Rogers have taken “no action” on the matter so far.

“That’s not good,” Patrick said. “It’s better than voting no, but it’s still not good.”

If the fight for FDA regulations is finally won, Patrick is confident there will be more changes to come. In fact, this also could be the year the Alabama legislature passes a smoke-free bill.

The clean-air campus resolution passed by Auburn’s Student Government Association is still in the hands of the Dean of Students. It doesn’t make the campus smoke-free but limits the locations for smoking.

“Yes, it’s an uphill battle, but if we don’t do it, who else is going to?” Patrick asked.