Any plan to regulate cigarettes by the Food and Drug Administration will face opposition from U-S Senator Richard Burr.

The Republican is from Winston-Salem, home to R-J Reynolds Tobacco.

Burr says he'd use every legislative tool at his disposal.

Senator Edward Kennedy is the new chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The Democrat from Massachusetts has made F-D-A regulation of tobacco products a top priority.
Kennedy says it's long overdue, and that it could curb smoking.
North Carolina is the nation's Number one tobacco-producing
state.