Protect Children From Tobacco

Take action today to help protecting your children

from the harms caused by tobacco use. There are resources available to help you and

your children live healthier and safer.

 

 

How You Can Help Your Children Stay Tobacco-Free

 

- Tell your children emphatically and often enough how dangerous smoking is—and how addictive all tobacco products are.

 
- Make your home and your car tobacco-free for everyone—friends and guests as well as family members.

 
- Tell your children you expect them to be tobacco-free.

 
- Ask your child's doctor to discuss health issues caused by tobacco use—including nicotine addiction.

 
- Encourage your children to be involved in activities at school, church, or in the community.

 
- Don't let your children see movies, TV programming, or video games that show tobacco use.

 
- Find out where your community stands on policies known to reduce tobacco use by youth, such as school-based tobacco

   bans, smoke-free policies, and higher prices on tobacco products.

 
- Set a good example by not using tobacco yourself.


Regulation for Protecting Children From Tobacco

 

On March 19, 2010, the FDA issued a set of regulations, as required under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, concerning tobacco and kids and adolescents. These regulations were created with the intent of decreasing the appeal and accessibility of tobacco products to kids and adolescents, and there are rules concerning the sale and distribution of tobacco products as well as marketing. The new rules include:

 
- Making it illegal for cigarettes or smokeless tobacco to be sold to anyone under 18 years of age.

 
- Prohibiting the sale of cigarette packages with fewer than 20 cigarettes in them.

 
- Not allowing cigarettes or smokeless tobacco to be sold in any "impersonal mode of sale (i e in a vending machine or

   self-service display).

 
- Prohibiting free samples of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco.

 
- Prohibiting tobacco brand name products to sponsor social, cultural, athletic, or musical events.

 
- Prohibiting gifts in return for the purchase of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco.

 
- Prohibiting the distribution (or sale) of any items with tobacco logos or brand names.

 
- Requiring that audio ads have no music or sound effects, only words.

 
This set of regulations covers cigarettes and smokeless tobacco (it does not cover cigars or pipe or hookah tobacco). Pre-existing state laws that are not covered by these regulations, or are more stringent than these regulations (such as making 19 the minimum age to purchase tobacco), will remain in effect.

 
These regulations will be enforced through inspections by combination of FDA employees and FDA commissioned state employees. These rules became effective on June 22, 2010.