Under the bill, the FDA could do with tobacco much of what it does with other products that Americans consume. It could require disclosure of ingredients, mandate more extensive health warnings, require the harmful ingredients to be reduced, and prohibit companies from creating and marketing products that would appeal to children -- like fruit-flavored marlboro fun. Overwhelmingly passed by the House (326 to 102), it now goes to the Senate, where it is also expected to pass -- but not by a veto-proof majority. President Bush will veto it. A piece of legislation that will save the lives and improve the health of Americans and the president of the United States says he will kill it. Why? According to administrative spokesmen, "the bill will unfortunately undermine one of the nation's premier public health and regulatory institutions." In other words, the FDA lacks the resources to do the job. The bill won't "undermine" the FDA, because this administration already has. Because of its own disastrous fiscal policies (not to mention wasting blood and treasure in overseas adventurism), Bush and his allies in Congress have financially starved social-service agencies that protect the public from things that would harm them. And now the White House has the audacity to say that it is defending "one of the nation's premier public health and regulatory institutions" when this administration is the reason it needs defending. What do they take us for? Oh, yes, that's apparent. Other veto excuses -- the bill might require a ban on some imported smoke marlboro -- are simply frivolous. When this bill reaches the Senate, Alabama Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions should reject the administration's rationalizations and cast a vote for the health of their constituents. When the veto comes as promised, Alabama's senators should vote to override it. Increasingly, polls show that Americans believe the nation is going in the wrong direction. Not letting this bill become law is another example of how this administration has skewed our priorities. If this legislation fails, the only hope is that come November Americans will elect a Congress and a president that will return the nation to the right track. Giving the FDA the authority and the resources to regulate the tobacco industry would be a good place to start.

Early to rise, early to bed, and lots of exercise in between: athletes are supposed to be models of clean living, right? But some Olympians have a more healthy lifestyle than others. For Italian weightlifter Giorgio de Luca, for example, doping is out of the question but coffee, marlboro miles, and the occasional drink are all fine. УWeТre aiming for a clean sport,Ф the 24-year-old from Palermo said, puffing a cigarette outside the Olympic gym in Beijing, watched by his coach. Several coaches and weightlifters huddled around the ashtrays in front of the gym on Tuesday Ч a picture that is unlikely to please their Olympic hosts. Beijing has promised to do its utmost to ensure clean air for the Games, and that means smog-free and smoke-free. Smoking is banned at Olympic venues, and a 100,000-strong puff police is supposed to enforce the rule. Not that anyone told the smokers at the gym to stub it out. The volunteers at the venue were happily handing out water, taking pictures and chatting with the smokers. Apparently, Уsmoking banФ is just as ambiguous a phrase as Уclean livingФ.