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Q 643 I am Dr. Jay Roberts, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology at the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadel- phia. I also have served as a consultant for the National Research Council, NIH study section groups, and a number of private companies and laboratories. I have also been a Research Associate on the consulting staff at the Philadelphia Geriatric Center. My current activities in the scientific research field include direct laboratory experimentation and editorial and reviewing responsibilities for scientific publications. I am on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Clinical Pharmacoloay, Journal of Cardio- vascular Pharmacology and Journal of Gerontology. The professional societies to which I belong include the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine and the American Colleae of Clinical Pharmacology. I am a Fellow in the American College of Cardiology , the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the Gerontological Society of America. I have been asked to comment as a scientist on two bills pending before Congress, MR 4957 and S 1929. My comments will be limited to the scientific points that are raised in the proposed legislation. My primary concern with both proposed bills is the conclusive " nature of Section 2. A number of unanswered, scientific questions come to mind: 1. To what extent has the physiological and pathological chanqes associated with aqing been taken into account?

644 - Page 2 2. Where are the data that conclusively prove one-third of heart disease deaths are attributable to smoking? 3. How much and to what degree do occupational exposures contri- bute to chronic disease statistics? 4. What is the relationship between smoking, aging and the physiological and psychological constitution of the individual? How do these relationships affect disease rates? While statistical correlations are important and suggestive,the scientific conclusions reached need to be explored further. Smoking per se is not the only factor or characteristic of smokers that needs to be examined in studies. For example, the effect of stress on the cardiovascular system is well known and exposure to high levels of stress for long periods of time may have a major impact on the health of certain people. Another complicating unknown is the relationship between stress and smoking; why do people smoke and+what does it say about their attempt to deal with stress? Our animal studies involving nicotine show that it produces acute cardiovascular effects. But we need to know more about the chronic effects of nicotine in animals. Similarly, we need to know more about how nicotine is handled in the human system and how this directly relates to changes in the cardiovascular system. ~ My experimental work both in the cardiovascular system and in ~ aging areas leads me to conclude that the factors involved in the ~ development of chronic disease are complex. Despite extensive research in animals and observational work in humans there are many LRiX unanswered questions why and how people develop diseases of the ~ cardiovascular system. Statements in the present bills, such as, 'f "1/3 of the deaths attributable to heart disease are associated with Y~ smoking" would seem to raise are already answe matter is warranted. f cardiovascular system i process or do other fac habits initiate and prc As a scientist,_I =roviding reliable scie research the questions

ly prove one-third of :cing?, apational exposures contri- :plored.further. Smoking per of smokers that needs to 'fect of stress on the 3sure to high levels of zajor.impact on the health <nown is the relationship .noke and what does it ? show that it produces to know more about the milarly, we need to know uman_system and how this scular system. :iovascular system and in :actors involved in the Despite extensive in humans, there are many -elop diseases of the )resent bills, such as, _sease are associated with 645 Page 3 smoking" would seem to imply that the answers to the questions I raise are already answered and no further scientific study of this matter is warranted. But one may ask whether the diseases of the cardiovascular system in question are a natural result of the aging process or do other factors such as genetic background and lifestyle habits initiate and promote the disease? As a scientist, I am interested in research and its role in providing reliable scientific information. I believe through further research the questions raised above could and should be answered.