Someone forgot to pay this year’s bribes to the FTC. After 42 years of endorsing a test for tar levels, which led to labels such as “light” cigarettes, the FTC has removed its endorsement. The original reason for the tar test standardization was to help inform the consumers (yeah, right!). It is not tobacco companies acting alone to mislead consumers; the state has been right there every step of the way supporting the smoke screen.
This article also brings up two other interesting points. A bill that would have had a similar effect failed to pass Congress, so the FTC just acted anyway (what does Congress do, again?). Also, “One FTC commissioner, Pamela Jones Harbor, urged Congress to approve the regulation of tobacco by the Food and Drug Administration.” Why not just give it to the DEA and get it over with? Better yet, why doesn’t the DEA and FTC have a joint meeting declaring such a transfer of powers?

The Best of Kathryn Muratore