Legal Definitions - Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 is a law that put many restrictions on the tobacco industry. The law gave the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) the power to regulate tobacco products. Some of the biggest restrictions include:

• Requiring warnings on tobacco products that show the health risks
• Stopping the sale of tobacco products to children
• Preventing marketing that appeals to children, like candy flavors
• Stopping tobacco companies from making false claims about their products being less harmful

For example, before this law, tobacco companies could make cigarettes that tasted like candy or fruit, which made them more appealing to kids. But now, they can't do that anymore. Also, tobacco companies can't say that their products are less harmful than they really are. This law helps protect people from the dangers of tobacco.