Tobacco Documents Online

The following resolution was tinanimausly approved by the -National Cancer hdvisory Board- on June 17, 1974 with the additions in brackets and deletions crossed out as indicated to lariguage approved at the Novenber 27, 1973 meting of the Board. Zthe Natibnal Cancer Advisory Board was established -by statute in 1971 to advise and assist the Director of the National Cancer ir.stitate - and- the National Cancer Program in the advancemerat of our country's effort against cancer. It has-beccrne increasingly clear that cigarette smoking is_the leading cause of the most pr a-rinent [and one of the least successfully treatable] form [ s] of - cancer in this country--lung cancer [.] ePA-that -- r ,P]revention of the majority of these cancers is [thus] possible. The eradicati on of lung cancer would reduce the annual number of new cases of this cancer among Americans by 80,000 and a reduction in- deaths fran this cancer kny 70;000 based on 1973 statistics. Moreover;- there are important associations between cigarette smoking and ot~~x diseases, including cardiovascular disease, emphyseoa and other cancers. Thus, while the total impact on human health of cigarette smoking is nat yet known, its contributior_ to morbidity and f-ort.ality may exceed by tenfold- the single example represented by lung cancer. The fiscal impact of cigarette smoking and related diseases is extraordinarily high. They create demands for health=services, they detract from human productivity and insure-a substantial loss of personal and federal i*:come. The relative inportance of cigarette smokang compared to other forms of environumental pollution, also thought to be cont.ributors to lung cancer, is very large. ~ O ~ 9i W 0)

While the appoztuni tv for -preventive ne3i.cine is technically available, its i~-~lementation will require a social decision. The _ National- Cancer Advisozy Board, charged withthe task of furthering the _ national effort against cancer, is carpellea to point out the importance of this issue and reccnr;rnds that -the government take all steps possible to reduce cigarette smoKing and to protect the sroker, The National Cancer Fdvisory-Board reconrends_that the regulatory authorities of the Federal goverrment be exarire3 for their application and adequacy toreduce heal,th- hazards_ fran smoking= - cigaYettes, and that the President [su_ipport] and [that] the Congress (enact] neww legislative amencbrn.nts, if appropriate, to strengthen these = powers.