NC senators propose tougher tobacco restrictions

North Carolina's two senators are proposing tougher restrictions on cigarette advertising and labeling in an attempt to sway Congress not to pass a bill that could be even harder on the state's tobacco industry.

Democratic Senator Kay Hagan and repugican senator Richard Burr are introducing a compromise bill that would ban advertising in magazines and newspapers and prohibit the words "light," "mild," "ultra-light," "medium" and "low" from being used as descriptors of tobacco products.

Legislation that would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco was passed by a House committee last week. Under that bill, opposed by many in the tobacco industry, the agency could reduce or eliminate cancer-causing chemicals in cigarette smoke.

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Note to Hagan and Burr: Do not be weenies - go for the tougher regulations the House passed and don't try and mollycoddle the Tobacco companies - we do not need them, never did