The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could soon gain control over how cigarettes and other tobacco products are made, marketed and sold in the United States.

A bill to that effect passed in the House of Representatives on Friday. It won approval in the senate on Thursday. Now it goes to President Barack Obama, who has promised to sign it, saying it will "make history by giving the scientists and medical experts at the FDA the power to take sensible steps."

Dissuading young people from smoking their first cigarette is a major focus of the legislation, which all includes:

• Limiting nicotine levels without banning it from cigarettes.
• Attempting to limit the appeal of smoking among young people, by restricting the use of flavours, advertising in publications targeting young people and strengthening rules on selling tobacco products to young people.
• Requiring tobacco companies to gain FDA approval for new products.
• Banning the terms "light" or "mild" on tobacco packaging that imply a reduced health risk.
• Requiring tough new warning labels.

The change also aims to reduce the 400,000 deaths every year attributed to smoking and its $100 billion US health-care price tag from tobacco-related illness.

The legislation "will finally put an end to Big Tobacco’s despicable marketing practices that are designed to addict children to its deadly products," John Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said in a statement.

Last month, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq introduced a spate of similar proposed restrictions on tobacco products that she says are intended to protected children, including a ban on flavoured cigarettes and cigarillos.

Bill C-32, which has passed second reading in the House of Commons, would also prohibit the sale of "kiddy packs" containing fewer than 20 cigars or cigarillos, to make them less affordable for young people.

If passed, tobacco companies would no longer be able to advertise in nearly all newspapers and magazines.

With files from The Associated Press