American Cancer Society President-elect Calls for Nationwide Public Health Program to Reduce Smoking

American Cancer Society
Wednesday, 1 October 1997

Wahington 1997/10/01 -American Cancer Society President-Elect David S. Rosenthal, M.D. called for the inclusion of a coordinated nationwide public health program to reduce smoking as a part of any national tobacco control legislation Congress passes next year. Testifying today before the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources Dr. Rosenthal outlined ten components of a public health program that must be included in any effort to enact effective and comprehensive tobacco control legislation.

"While it is imperative that the FDA has unfettered authority to regulate nicotine, the enactment of a national public health program will also dramatically reduce cancer morbidity." said Dr. Rosenthal.

There are many components of a public health program which should be a part of any tobacco control legislation. They include:

- Implementing a national education program aimed at reducing tobacco use.

- Continuing support for state and local enforcement efforts to limit youth access to tobacco products.

- Reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

- Continuing implementation of effective tobacco cessation programs.

- Launching a national counter-advertising campaign.

- Increasing funds for broad-based research, particularly research focused on youth.

- Expanding support for state and local tobacco control activities.

- Investing more in international tobacco control, particularly in developing countries.

- Improving the design of warning labels on tobacco products.

- Increasing the price of tobacco products to reduce youth consumption.

"The burden for the success of a public health program rests not only on government but on public-private partnerships that include corporate America and the public health community. The American Cancer Society will work to forge these partnerships as we move forward. Still, Congress has the responsibility to pass national tobacco control legislation and any legislation must include a coordinated, broad-based, adequately funded public health program to be truly effective." said Dr. Rosenthal.

For more information, or to contact American Cancer Society, see their website at: www.cancer.org