Kids At Risk, Christian Leaders Call For FDA To Control Tobacco

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NASHVILLE - A diverse coalition of clergy and lay members from throughout Tennessee called on southern congressmen and women to support legislation that gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over tobacco products. The new legislation would protect kids from tobacco and save lives. As members of the House Subcommittee on Health, Representatives Gordon and Blackburn will play a key role in advancing this legislation, H.R. 1108, The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

NASHVILLE - A diverse coalition of clergy and lay members from throughout Tennessee held a press conference today to urge Representative Bart Gordon (D-TN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and the entire Tennessee Congressional Delegation to support legislation that gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over tobacco products.


The legislation would protect kids from tobacco and save lives. As members of the House Subcommittee on Health, Representatives Gordon and Blackburn will play a key role in advancing this legislation, H.R. 1108, The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.


Despite all the death and disease they cause, tobacco products are virtually unregulated to protect consumers' health. This continuing lack of regulation allows the tobacco companies to market their deadly products to children, deceive consumers about the harm their products cause and resist even the most minimal steps to make their products less harmful.


"I believe that it is morally wrong to leave the most impressionable among us, our children, unprotected from the tobacco enticements that confront them," said Dr. Richard Land, President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Southern Baptist Convention. "And so, I believe that those who are called to positions of leadership and power have a moral imperative to safeguard the men, women, and children of our country from falling into the pitfalls of tobacco abuse."


The legislation pending in Congress would give FDA the authority to crack down on tobacco marketing and sales to kids, stop tobacco companies from misleading the public about the health risks of their products and allow changes in these products, such as the reduction or removal of harmful constituents. Unbelievably, despite being the most deadly product sold in America, tobacco products are exempt from basic health regulations that apply to other products we consume, such as food and drugs. The FDA regulates a box of macaroni and cheese and a tube of lipstick, but not a pack of cigarettes.


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"Restricting retail marketing practices would significantly reduce youth smoking," said Rev. David C. Adams, General Secretary, General Commission on United Methodist Men. "It is critical to our communities and our public health to stop the marketing of tobacco products to our children. Congress needs to authorize the FDA to put an end to this marketing and help us protect our children from this deadly addiction."


Recent reports by the President's Cancer Panel and Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that in order for the United States to dramatically reduce tobacco use as a significant public health problem, it is essential to provide FDA authority over tobacco products. As the IOM concluded, "The time has come for Congress to exercise its acknowledged authority to regulate the production, marketing and distribution of tobacco products."


"The tobacco companies get away with their harmful practices because no government agency currently has any real authority over how tobacco products are manufactured or marketed," said Bishop Martha Thomas, Presiding Diocese Bishop for The House of God Churches in the state of Tennessee. "This year, Congress has an opportunity to do something truly important to improve the health of America's families."


Identical, bipartisan bills to grant the FDA authority over tobacco have been introduced in the Senate and House of Representatives. Demonstrating strong, bipartisan support, the legislation has 53 Senate sponsors and 196 House sponsors. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed the legislation on August 1. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) voted against the FDA bill in the Committee. The only member of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation who is a cosponsor of the bill is Steve Cohen (D-TN).


This legislation has the support of every major national public health organization and more than 470 public health, faith and other organizations across the country (see list at: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/fda/organizations.pdf), as well as the strong support of the American people. According to a recent national poll, 70 percent of voters support Congress passing the legislation and 72 percent believe passage of the legislation would be an important accomplishment for Congress. The poll also shows FDA regulation of tobacco is supported across political lines, geographic regions and even by a majority of smokers (detailed poll results: http://tobaccofreekids.org/fdapoll/).


Nationwide, tobacco use kills more than 400,000 people and costs more than $96 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 23 percent of high school students smoke and more than 1,000 kids become new regular smokers every day. In Tennessee, tobacco use kills 9,500 residents and costs the state $2.16 billion in health care bills a year, and over 26 percent of high school students smoke.


Source: Faith United Against Tobacco