Tobacco Documents Online

86 No one, can argue that them is inadequate information available to smokers. They know the tar and nicotine content through advertise- ments, and through reports published periodically by the FTC. A wide range of brands is available and individuals have the rit7bt tovxetri§e a fren choice in snlectinQ,the type of ci~arette they wish to buy. There are many brands availabte now which could be expected to meet or be superior to any tar and nicotine standard set by the FTC. Atmther point we must consider is the po.asible adveree economic effect of this legislation. Manufacturers can and have exercised con- trol over the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes, but climatic con- ditions over which there are no controls also play an important role in tar and nicotine.let'els. Thousands of farmers are dependent upon tobatxo as their princi- pal source of income. It is entirely possible that their livelihoods would be edverselO affected by a standard their crop cannot meet thmugh no fault of their own. Those who smoke and those who contemplate smoking are fully informed about the hazards which may be involved in the use of cig- arettes. They should be given the right to make their own decisions without unwarranted intrusion by the Government upon their per- eonnl freedom. Mr. Chairman, I thank yon very much for according me an opportunity to make this statement At the beginning of thiesecond heanng. 8enator Moes. Well, we are very glad to have your statement, Senator Spong, and we hope that you will be able to attend some parts of the hearing, although we know of your other commitments. One of the unfortunate things is we have mano assignments het•e in the Senate, and that is one reason we have been holding up a little bit. Senator Cook had another commitment that he had to keep this morning before he could get here, and later in the day I am rinF to have to be out for a while. So, we all understand the CUmstanCea. I understand your point of view, but, of course, if we accepted that fully, I suppose we ought to repeal the Hazardous Substances Act, because we could ust tell people that things had hazardous substances, and then let them make their choices. Senator Srona. I don't necessarily concur with that, but I know there is going to be ample opportunity, both in the committee and perhaps on the floor, for you and Ito discuss our diderences. Senator Mavs. All right. We will do that. We will make sure that we have that discussion. Thank you, Bill. In nddJtton to Senator Spemg, Senator Hollings of South Cam- lina wished to make it statement for the record and he is unable to be here personally, so he has supplied it, and this will be placed in the record immediately following that of Senator Spong. (Thestatementfullowe:) grarcrunr or HON. planaea F, Hozt.inua, U.S. sms'roc 8aox Hourn t)Aaotdaa . . . My state. South Carolina, has a tobacco heritage going back to the colonlm- tion of Amerlca.we ere proud of that heritase and of the thoueanda of South 87 Carolips tobaca.ro farmare, ptntaarore, wateehouaeuoen and the hundteda of oth- sn who today carry on the proud tradition at µwwing, processing and selling the ane leaf that has made American toba.oco crops and products pra~mninent throughout the world. - I am, theretore, owcerned, Mr. Chairmma, With any propo6ala that Wauld eu- dauger the livelllaqd at mmay at my conMltuenta by imfpeing arbittary Bmita on any aegm¢af of the tobacco ecUnomy for results that may be unreallatle and even unattuinable. It is not my purpnec to debate the epectpea of the legielative propoeal this eubco,umlttee Is now considering. I am confident that wltneaaea appearing be. iore you will have the opportunitr to fully erpreea their expert vlewa on the controvereial edentiaciesnee tnvolved, and that their honest dlderenca of ad- entidc opinion will be carefully weighed and given long and thonghttui copald- eratlon by the aubrommittae-and the Senate Qommeece Coutmtttee aaa whole of wntcG t em a memoer-getore any legislative action will be taken. But I am concerned, Mr. Chairman, that thoae who are opposed to amoktng are pushing hard and feet towards prohibition. And I am equally concerned by the recent NTC and H@W reports and some of the atatemeuta endorsing their aweeping flndfuga that have been made dnring thoae hearinga gMm tyeaa It in apparent to we that there are tlmae in high poeitlons in aome of our govern- meut agenclet who would also have the Congreee more pteelpitopaly to impose further restrictions upon the tobacco Induatryaad upon the rlghte of tlioae who chooee to amoke to contlnue to treely do ao. Iam concerned, Mr. Chairman, because I belleve that thoae who would pro. hihit the tobacco coneumers' freedom of ctiulce have not given aerloue thought to the ultlmate conoequeneea of such aetioa That S. the destruction of a legltl- mete Industry employing many thoueande of hard working people. From the teatlmony already preeented before this Committee, It 6 clear that muc4 more research needu to be done to determine the relatlanealpa, it any, between verlous levels of nicotlne and tobacco emulte and human health. I am told that thera will be highly competent witueoaee following me teday who will Introduce addltional testimony on the aclence of tar atd nicotlne. I will not, therefore, puroue this polnt further, but I wonid ask this Committee mcarefully consider the wisdom of recemmenditur legislative or regulatory aa liona based upon incomplete aclentlAc evldence. In aummary, Mr. Chairman, I would hope you and the membera of your aub. committee will give )uet weight to the tnany lawe and regulations tSat now control the U.S. cigarette market, and to the may voluntary actions that U.B. tobacco manufacturers have taken to aeeure that the public in fully aware of the possible bealtL haaarde of somking. Uke you, I am concerned with the many problems that bear an the bealth and physical well-being of our natlon. However, I believe that mgny of my cul- efoual ata ~ with me that for too iang tobacco Lae been the meln Uongree- tnun to ~t Perhaps this Is ao berauae Itls much eaeler to attack tobaceo giet at objective aclentltlc tn,th, it in ttma. I believe, to concentrate greater rNeereA eCort and And the an- awers to the many unanswered queatlone relatent to the aifeped caueerend-ef- fect relationship between emoking and lieeltlb ateteh more unbiased scientific research In this Leid Is most certainly needed But equally certaia In the need to conduct In-depth research In many other delds as well, for ttiere In a grow. !ng body of evidence Impltcating may more pioducta in everyday use with the many dioeases that over the years have burdened humantty. I trust, Mr. Chairumu, that the Conaumer Subcommittee will address Itself to the many other suspect products that may he a cauee of bamen iltneaa with the snme vigor that has been accorded to tobacco for an many yeera - Seuator Moss. I am very reluctant to go ahead, because I had told Senator Cook that we would wait. He thought he could be here by 10 o'clock, He has such agreat intereet in these hearings that I do not like to proceed without him. And yet we have a number of witnesses to hear today, all very important, and I am reluctant to delay longer calling them up. . . . b 9Z6469700Z