American Cancer Society: Advocating for the Family Smoke Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA) 2009.

Abstract
On June 22, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA). This Act gave the FDA authority to regulate the distribution, manufacture and sale of tobacco to the public in the United States. The American Cancer Society and many others believe that the enactment of an effective national tobacco control policy is a necessary first step in reducing youth and adult smoking, controlling the tobacco industry, and significantly reducing tobacco- related disease and death. Before this day tobacco products were unregulated by the federal government. This paper will discuss the Act and the ACS strong support of this Act, as well as some of its supporters and opposers.

My interest group is the American Cancer Society. One of the organizations priority issues is to prevent cancer. They work with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities to join the fight. Many people think of cancer as a purely medical or scientific issue, but it is just as much a political issue. Every day in the news we hear of legislators introducing bills, passing laws and allocating funds that affect people with cancer and their families. Even clinical trials and health insurance all involve legislation. As a community-based organization the ACS unites millions of people throughout the nation to fight against cancer. This is a huge voice that can lend its advocacy to fight cancer and tobacco control. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA) which was passed on June 22, 2009, was passed with great support form the ACS. Tobacco companies have been denying and misleading smokers and marketing to the youth. ACS and ACS-CAN (a sister