Tobacco Documents Online

MAY 21 ' 9I=q 2E)::38 FROM f.IPfiS 1"JEW 'r'ORk .,p FACE.U0T_ SJO wltA 42sd5Yn+se4 ME+r tbrtc Nv 1tk).36 26" Laruer Axv SLiAs 312 5ov1",r<rel. " 46C,~4 2125 6Ls~*+c Bourcwia Movm R 33137 (Ym 7"4" (J1!) 3b1-42?? (JQSj s7rbJJtf 3d34 W1NFSUdh aVti. C0$ Ax2etet. CA 90020 36f lY9wbu Y -;heOt 6.1sion. AaA 07.1 f5 100 fcaf Ninm Aac~ 06rtver. CO B<k"03 (lir4 110401! (617)16&1111 (303)16f7fS? 212 NW&perbr SXrse1. Cf>~.1Li 6A610 911f,LBJFieawoyGblfcrS7Xi5251 d30Gakw00dAw9txie,WeslHarflbrd CT06110 ('114J blfabOd (l0?j 9iJ-faf Plsh6delphia PA 7910.' Straet 066 Abnoncl Prass 8w7dhip Washrmgfan. [JC 20045 San Dk rjcr C4 9^f01 , (lQ?7193-7110 5~1-1d60 ~ Spn F+ttntsm. CA. 9.4105 10260 WesfnEvirec N,us1On ,n7;10.c^ (IfQ f40ifH (7a) mw tus Vt0E0 MoN7TORrlYG saaVIaFs OFAMFRICA. INC. i A BfJ fflLLES A.9rCpte 0 DATE May 20 ! 1990 TII+IX 10:30-,~_11:00 AM (ET) TWaRIt NBC-TV OGgAM Meet the Press Garridc Utley, anchor: Bello again. On "Meet the Press" today, the health of nations, ours and others: AIDS, tobacco, and health care. Our guest is Dr. Louis Sullivan; the Secretary of flealth ahd Human Services. (Title sequence followm) Health--concern about it is never far from our minds nor out of the news. This past week, the deaths of Saiiky Davis Jr. of throat cancer, and Jim Henson of a virulent form of bacteria, were painful reminders of that. The Senate this week passed a nearly three billion dollar program to provide support for AIDS treatsent to cities and states most severely affected. And thore is the continuing over American tobacco companies exporting cigarettes overseas. Is this a case of spreading disease to reduce the trade deficit? Well, those are just some of the subjects we are talking about with Dr. Louis Sullivan, the Secretary of Health and Human Services. He's in our NBC News bureau in Boston this mqrning: and with me here in Washington are R.W. Apple qf the New York Times and Robert Hager of NBC News here. Good morning, Dr. Sullivan, thanks for being Dr. Lorais Sullivan (Secy. of Health and Human Services); Good morning. Utley: Starting off with the question of tobacco, cigarette exports. American companies want to expand their xarkets overseas. The Bush Administration, your administration, is supporting them. Your position against smoking is well-known. You've spoken out many times. Why are you not speaking out more forcefully now against these cigarette exports? Sullivan: Garrick, I recently returned from the World Health Assembly in Geneva, where there are a hundred and sixty-six nations who are members there, and in talking with the ministers there, our concern about tobacco is shared by them as well. In fact, I was quite pleasantly surprised to learn they are quite aware of what we are C t9ap Manona'. e'oamMhe.CarrXaW frr. .a R;phr, N-W-d.M9¢aretl ,Cy yoCO morwoftq ;erA3et o1 MseACC, lr+c, wh•C!) tokea saeS resPans1b'rkyy for occuroc/.' Nodieqrsea crs grorthxd to ttie purtrirx.er of 'h's +vt c'hmr tt^,f7n 1or ttV rwnrted'~pures040 « Laa ht"lCls'TLccsrtynent; news reoorfiny; ICOChir>ti7 ~- nrC4a'sn;A- ArvV ootlN!onol rePrnducllon of ittMs hosreeiiot other then for r)e li-tt9d punp~ :tcAee he.em ~rA sfrltM tr*%**OC. A hA9otcoe or rnts 'ranx-110t K ow7AC09.m 1rnry ro~r ry. icr31 ,4~:vs. ~r3rn i:- 7Vr~ ^.rJ^ -'J ~~•~^t rp' 14 C,~niorW. VM6 Jrrce

i'liF ~~ ll 24 t: ~ F r~ IJEW PM,E.•302 ' doing here, and they are followinq this with the intent of using some of our plans in their own countries. I'm concermed about the health effects of tobacco, but my responaibility is as secretary of Health and Human Servicaes. The issue of exports to other countries is one of equity in trade. I've talked with Carla Hills, our Trade Representative, and she has assured me that in those countries that want to mount tobacco cessation programs, we will work with them and'support them in that erffort. Utley: If I may say so, Mr. Secretary, you sound like a good:member of the Bush Administration, but not really like a Secretary of Health this morning. Just last week., one of your deputies, James Mason, was going to testify before a Congressional committee. He was aqainst these exports,'that this is really exporting diseaae. The Administration, Congress, has silenced him. He was not allowed to appear. Aren't you just fallisg into line? Shouldn't you be speaking up? Becauae you are a physician, after all, as well as being a member of the Administration. Sullivan: Well, let me first set the record straight concereiing Dr. Mason's appearance. What was requested was an Administration witness before this Congressional cosamitkoe, and when we learned that the issue was one of tobacop exports, that really is a trade issue. So it was at that point that the Trade Representative had a member- available for that testimony. So this was not an issue of health, but one of trade: so I differ with those who indicate that we have been silenced. Dr. Mason and I are both strong advocates of a tobacco-free society. We continue to do everything we can to educate all of our citizens about the dangers of tobacco, and our positions are well-known there. Utley: Well, finally--let me try to get to this one more tLme--do you think that we should, that any nation, should-be exporting cigarettes, tobacco, scmething which you krspw can cause disease? Sullivan: I've talked with the ministers of health fronc a numbsr of countries around the world about this very ~ issue. Many of them have absolutely no programs for tobacara cessation in their own countries. First of all, those countries have to, as sovereign states, decide their own laws, and we will work with them, whatever those laws are. Again, the efforts so far as tobacco is concetned, as I understand it, is one of equity and access to markets. In those countries that have their own tobacco industries, our position is that as our markels are open to the importation of stereos, cameras,

0 0 CiAtr 21 1~ ~~ri `j : ?'i RP~T,rl I !t•IS rlELd ['t-i Rk -3- and automobiles, if there is an industry in those countries concerning tobacco, then from a Trade Representative's standpoint, we should have equal access. But that in no way comp romises our concern and our outspoken nature about the ill effects of tobacco. !iZE ..i]Q ~..1~~. Utley:` Bob? Robert Hager (NBC News); If I've understood what you've said oarrectly--you said you spoke with the Trade Representative Carla Hills--and we will work with these countries to reduce smoking in their country, but I think from what you've said, we'll still work to increaee our export of cigarettes to these countries, right? Sullivan: No, what she said was this. In those countries that have an expressed interest and desire to reduce their consumption of tobacco and will request our help, we-will willingly provide that help. But these are sovereign nations; they have to make their own decisi,©ns. So-- -Hager: But we will still engage in trade negotiations in whi&h we attempt to get our share of the market increased, right? I mean, we have so far with Japan and South Rnrsa and a number of other countries. Sullivan: Well, if that market exists, then the position is that we should have access to those markets, .if we teaily believe in fair trade. But this.in no way coaprcia}ises our strong stand about the adverse health effects of tobacco. I've stated that many times, and I will bi appearing next week, later this week, in fact, betore..the Senate Finance Committee concerning this issue, and you'll be hearing more about that at that time. Hager: But didn't your assistant secretary, who did not testiffbePore that committee, said in an international conference in Australia just in April, that- he atCcuseQ U.S. companies of peddling their poison abroad. That- that sounds like a different tune from-the one that you're giving us this morning, where you're saying,~ if- if the country will give us access, then we want our fair 4are of the market. .Sulliven: Well, our companies have access to our own marketA, and what Dr. Mason has said is entirely consistent with what I have said, and that is, they're peddliag their poisons to our own citizens. We want to do evarything we can to make sure that our citizens understand the adverse health effects of these products so that they will hopefully not use them. Tobacco is a legal product, we have to face that reality; but it is rntr aQ h -lt-h nffic±i• 1 }n _* . ,

FP ~Oli1~ ''If'1S: ~: IE~ai 'r''j R~k i / -4- citizaps about those health effects. So whatvDL Mason has aadd in Australia is entirely consistent with what I have seid. We are absolutely together on that. (Unrel,sted material omitted) Sullivpn: Lat me also add that many of the problems that .re have with our health status in our country is due to chan--is due to our lifestyle. We have a high inaidee:ce of drug abuse. Smoking, that we've already talked about, is one of the causes of low birth-weight babies and high infancy mortality. So I have constantly spoken out about our need as citizens, individually, to take aore responsibility for our own health care, to stop drug abuse, to stop smoking, to have appropriate diets, exercise, etc, because all of this is part of the proces{s. We cannot, as citizens, abuse our bodies and expect to have the best health status in the world. (Unrelated material omitted) Hager; Dr. Sullivan, going back to cigarettes, you 4( mentiosied that you're testifying later this week on Capita& Hill. I think it's on minors and smoking. A very high percentage of smokers say that they got hooked when they were in high school, or sometimes even ydunger. What do you think should be done to get at the problem of young people and smoking? Sullivan: Well, we'll be commenting on that before the Congrert+ later this week. But we are certainly very concez"d about the fact that scaae eighty to ninety percent of adults who smoke started as teenagers, started before the age of eighteen. Clearly, whon the tobacco c anies_say that the are not ta~''Qetinq „young p eople eople„ ~ to be the on~y av:itpaa#is snr otii Linderstand that young peogle- are be a ad.n Clearly, we need to address th issue as.well as continuing our efforts to educate our citize6s about the adverse effects of tobacco. Hager:' But specifics: what about vending machines, % cigarebte vending machines? Minors have access to them; there's no way to control who buys cigarettes from vendinq machines. There is a bill on the Hill to outlaw digareti'te sales from vending machines. What would you say to thatT. sullivah: Well, that has to be determined by the localiVAes where they exist. As you know, a number of states-m-I believe forty-four states--do have laws probibiiking sale of tobacco to minors; and a few do have laws rrstricting the placement of vending machines in sights that are access;i.blP to minnra.

FP, :~f1 '!hl- Il,Eul ri-1fR'F'. PM- E .12 ~O Fz, © -5- Hager: You wouldn't support the federal government gettinq into that? Sullivan: This is presently carried out at the state level. We would want to be sure that everything is being carried forward at the state level before we come forward with a federal law that would preempt the states in this. (Unrelated material omitted) Hager: Dr. Sullivan, if the Administration decides in the eutrent negotiations that it should have some new tax, would you say that a tax on cigarettes would be the first prior- or an increase in the present federal tax on cigarettes would be the first priority? Sullivan: Kell, the app ropriate person for prioriti~~ti tax :att.rs is obviously ay colleague in the csbinet,-~ Nick Hpady, Secretary ot the 4'reasury:+ The whole issue of taxes and spending of course is part of the budget negoti.ations that are underway now. And that's a very fluid s.ituation. Hager: Well, would it be a useful tool to you, as the nation's chief health officer, to have a tax- an increase in the tax on cigarettes? Sulliwm: Well, let n:e that says when taxes go young people--that when corsgumption goes down. ot- whothe~ asq~t~t.-, is. . for. th*~ mambem- oV thw Utley: Dr. Sullivan, a more personal question. We've been talking about various important but senffiitive. issues, the Civil Rights Bill in Congress, the guestion of gaoking, which you are against so strongly. You have etronq._,~apinions on this, yet you are a member of the cabinei . Do you feel at times that you, as an individual, as a Dr. Sullivan, as a physician, are a bit stifle0 or cramped or limited in what you can say out loud3 say this. we have clear data up--particularly this affects taxes go up, cigarette Batki tlsF :wholw. rf sstur ot .uZe" Ww- in- othez=t asreats---t.l3ett mally, AM " aac=t,iw. Pxastd.wt - anc~ c UP d"ida. , Sulliv4hn: No, let me say this. What I, as a member of the cabinet, have to always be aware of is this: I'm speaking as a member of the President's government. If indeed-there are sensitive issues that may not have been fully developed, I think it's appropriate that those be discussed among my cabinet colleagues and with the Pres ichrtt . 1 X *I. i

;lHY ~ll E_n ~ii: l,t FPChI ~~N ~ lEIJ -6- FH -1 E .'LI 0 Utleyt And certainly, Dr. Sullivan, this morning you've b"n ftscussinq your position very well and in a very articvlate fashion. thank you very much for being with us this morning from Hoston here on "Meet the Press." My thanks also to R.W. Apple and Bob Hager on the panel this morning. i'11 be right back in just a moment. # # #

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