Tobacco Documents Online

LOR ILLARD NY FOR MR. A VE - TOBACCJ-INSTDC FRO:^I FRED PAN7ER URGENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER !8, 1974 GFFIC€ OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ------------------- THE WHITE HOUSE TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO DR. JON9THAN E. RHOADS, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL CANCER ADVISORY BOARD OCTOBER 19, 1974 DEAR DR: RHOADS- I HAVE RECEI-VED AND=-R-EVI€WED A PRELIMINARY COPY OF THE-I974 ANNUAL- #tEPORT OF THE NNATLONAL CANCER ADVISOR-Y BOARD. IY SEVERAL PLACES, THE BOARD'S REPORT RECOMMENDS FEDERAL REGULATION OF THE TAR AND NICOTINE CONTENT OF CIGARETTES. THE REPORT DOES NOS, HOWEVER, PROVIDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AT HAND WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR SUCH REGULATION. IN ORDER THAT ALL CONCERNED MAY BE FULLY INFORMED, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE NATIONAL CANCER ADVISORY BOARD REVHEy THE EXISTING SCIENTIFIC EVHDENCE ON AN URGENT BASIS AND PROVHDE ME WITH AN ASSESS- MENT-OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH THERE EXISTS A SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR RESPONSIBLE REGULATION OF CIGAETTES. I RECOGNIZE THAT ALL QUESTIONS OF REGULATION NiECESSARILY INVOLVE A- CERTAIN AMOUNT OF REASONABLE DISAGREEMENT AS WELL ASJTHE EXERCISE OF SOUND JUDGMENT. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THA-T OUR JUDGMENTS BE SOUNDLY BASED SO THAT WE MAY PROCEED WITH THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF WISDOM. I KNOW I CAN COUNT ON THE NATIONAL CANCER ADVISORY BOARD TO PRO- VIDE ME WITH SCIENTIFIC ADVICE ON THIS IMPORTANT MATTER OF PUBLIC a CONCERN. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S ASSESSMENT BY ~ DECEMBER 1,-!974. - ~, ~ - CA SI9CEREL"Y, - ~ ac't>Ai.!) P. FORD