The Supreme Court rules: the FDA and tobacco regulation

The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not have the legal authority to regulate tobacco products. This ruling significantly affects public health efforts to reduce tobacco addiction, especially among the nation's youth. This decision has broader health implications as well, since tobacco-related diseases are among many of the top ten leading causes of death. Paradoxically, this decision comes at a time where states are developing new health programs to address tobacco-related illnesses using funds from the landmark tobacco lawsuit.