Tobacco Documents Online

i Statement of the American Lung Association to the House Subconmittee on Health and the Environment on H.R. 5653, the Comprehensive Smoking Prevention Education Act Presented by Stephen Ayres, M.D. March 5, 1982 tb es a © r+ .dder r -tal 99 • Edmund C. Caxy, M.D.. P.endeer Conrad M. Fowleq Pnsidw-E/ecr Rkbud SinsCeimer, Parr-Prrridev Wa1,er 1. Hucher. Vira-Pre,idenr Edward M.Sewe[L M.D.. Vies-Prendenr Roalyn ailtord. Srcrnnry aernud G. Koplow, Trrmurer A.1JERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION lunesA.Swomley.ManogingDirec+or n,e cnnem,as Seaf Peoole • {TMlBroadway - New York. N.Y.10014 • (212)245-8000 I am here to testify in support of H.R. 5653 in my capacity as a volunteer board member of the American Lung Association and Chairman of that organ- ization's Lommittee on Smoking and Health. In my professional life I am Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. Although the majority of Americans are aware that smoking is hazardous to health, there is still confusion--even skepticism--about the facts. Much of this confusion is created and perpetrated--deliberately--by the tobacco industry, whose spokespeople constantly tour the country, seeking access to media of all kinds. What they perpetuate is the myth that there is a smoking "controversy" about the health effects of smoking, that the link between cigarette smoking and disease is stat- istical and therefore suspect, even non-existent. The facts, of course, are quite otherwise. The link between smoking and disease is one-of the most thoroughly documented in medical history. I am introducing into evidence--but will not read now--some of the recent findings from laboratories around the world confirming the relationship between cigarette smoking and human disease. Many different types of studies--30,000 in all and still accumulating-- have been performed: epidemiologic studies of death rates; research on effects of stopping smoking; studies of lung function; and examina- tion of tissues at autopsy in smokers and nonsmokers. In this country alone, 340,000 people die prematurely every year ffom the effects of cigarette smoking. (l) Ai the American Lung Association we are constantly examining the on- going and new researcn about the hazards of smoking--on both nonsmokers and smokers. We are alarmed, for example, about radioactive components of cigarette smoke and its effects on smokers themselves and others in their vicinity. Alpha emitters polonium-210 and lead-210 are highly concentrated on tobacco trichomes and insoluble particles in cigarette smoke. The major source ot the polonium is phosphate fertilizer, used in growing the tobacco. (2) +w.a.e r,w., me wmaman t..a w,nei.u,n _wre emww ue us.- m e u.aw, ..:me, w wmw,n. ttwat suraar 0 w I II

Ae are concerned that 75` of the a'.pha activity of the cigarette smoke may enter the ambient air and is thus available for deposit In the lungs of nearby nonsmokers. As a volunteer Chairman of the Smoking and Health Committee of the American Lung Association, I am distressed that 60< of Americans polled are unaware that smoking causes most cases of bronchitis and emphysema, for example, that 20" do not know that smoking causes lung cancer, that over 50` do not realize that smoking causes many as opposed to only a few cases of heart attack. (3) Clearly current federal, state, and private initiatives have been insufficient in conveying the appropriate health messages to imoortant segments of the American public. Hard as they may try, the voluntary agencies alone are fighting an uphill battle with limited resources to fill this informational gap. Some overriding official, national action that would attract constant attention is required. We believe the provisions of H.R.5653 are important steps to address this crisis. We favor the provisions on providing statutory standing to the Office on Smoking and Health with the Department of Health and Human Services. There must be a clearly visible focus within the federal government which demonstrates the government's commitment to prevention of disease due to smoking. We endorse the requirement that the Office become more actively involved in the preparation and dissemination of educational and scientific information and we look forward to their actively involving a wide range of federal and orivate organizations in these activities. At the ALA we rely strongly on the Office on Smoking and Health for fact-finding and documentation. There is no question that the harm inflicted by cigarettes is more than sufficient to warrant banning production of them. However, in a free society, government--instead of prohibiting production--has at least the responsibility of letting its citizens know the consequences of exposure so they themselves can make informed choices. Because representatives of a multi-billion dollar industry are so hard at work promoting their self-serv;ng myths and spending an astounding S1 billion each year to promote their lethal product in every media available to them, the American Lung Association believes very strongly that H.R. 5653 is critically important to help inform the public about the real dangers--not the tobacco industry's myths--of smoking. What concerns us at the American Lung Association is the incredible imbalance between the citizen's exposure to the facts about smoking and the avalanche of cigarette advertising. We find it shocking that cigarettes are the most heavily advertised product in America, that cigarette ads comprise half of all billboard advertising.(4) We are especially concerned that children are not free to make an informed, balanced choice about smoking when they grow uo in a society saturated with ads that encourage smoking and present that behavior as something healthy, attractive, sexy. The effects of advertising on children are an overriding issue, in our opinion. 101 na and increasing the visibility of warning labels cacks and in advertising, we think the time has long t --,^at. We recortmend putting the warning message on the n e--of the package. The rotations would alert people about the specific effects of smokinq. Obviously, pe -e soecific information. We also support listing carbon as well as tar and nicotine. In addition, we would like accitives in cigarettes listed. of readers of the American Lung Association's Bullet -aqazine, we found our readers in favor of rotating la •311y popular one was: "WARNING: Cigarette smoking is d'c 2ne may cause death from cancer, coronary heart disee e-ohyser:a and other diseases." Many favored it becaus --e ^cst comprehensive. Some felt it was not strong enoL -^s clear that Congressional leadership is required to helF s t^.e massive imbalance of cigarette advertising that affe cas of our society. H.R.5653 represents the kind of nat' n eesoerately needed to begin to counteract the epidemic of .-related diseases in this country and to encourage the 5: 'ind the way to quit their life-threatening habit. k o and group programs we developed in 1981, at the An tion we are ready to help show those smokers how to ,. l r. n.ith the Office on Smoking and Health; the Natior Council on Smoking and Health and the major voluntar s such as the American Cancer Society and the Americ •,c,=:ion, we look forward to increasing our joint effor cnis country's number-one preventable public health pr raanized Coalition on Smoking OR Health provides a ur •cr coordinating private sector smoking and health prc .c,isning an interface with public sector programs. ;,r vour attention. SOURCES Everett Koop, M.D., Surgeon General, Release: : 'lew England Journal of Medicine, 2/11/82 Reoort on the Cigarette Advertising Investi, 5/81 ~caff Reoort on the Ci• Advertisina Investi=-C, 5/81

101 ;s ~Dr rotating and increasing the visibility of warning labels on cicarette oacks and in advertising, we think the time has long been ri:e for that. We reconmend putting the warning message on the face-- nc• t.ne side--of the package. The rotations would alert people cc^stantly about the specific effects of smoking. Obviously, people ne2l m.ore specific information. We also support listing carbon monoxide ccntent as well as tar and nicotine. In addition, we would like to see the additives in cigarettes listed. in a survey of readers of the American Lung Association's Bulletin a-cnthly magazine, we found our readers in favor of rotating labels. An especially popular one was: "WARNING: Cigarette smoking is dangerous to health and may cause death from cancer, coronary heart disease, pul-cnary emphysema and other diseases." Many favored it because l; was the most comprehensive. Some felt it was not strong enough. ~eems clear that Congressional leadership is required to help reeress the massive imbalance of cigarette advertising that affects all areas of our society. H.R.5653 represents the kind of national action desperately needed to begin to counteract the epidemic of r7oKing-related diseases in this country and to encourage the 53 million sra<ers to find the way to quit their life-threatening habit. With r2w seif-help and group programs we developed in 1981, at the American _cn, dssociation we are ready to help show those smokers how to quit sdccessfully. . cooperation with the Office on Smoking and Health, the National :nteragency Council on Smoking and Health and the major voluntary ~r;~nizations such as the American Cancer Society and the American -enrt Association, we look forward to increasing our joint efforts ta corbat this country's number-one preventable public health problem. = newly organized Coalition on Smoking OR Health provides a unique -e.nanism for coordinating private sector smoking and health programs a,d establishing an interface with public sector programs. Thank you for your attention. SDURCES C. Everett Koop, M.D., Surgeon General, Release: 2/22/82 New England Journal of Medicine, 2/11/82 Staff Reoort on the Cigarette Advertising Investigation, FTC, 5/81 Staff Report on the Ci, Advertisina Investigation, FTC, 5/81 I