Tobacco Documents Online

226 ASSIST American Stop Smoking intervention Study for Cancer Prevention Arnerlcan Cancer Soclety • 4240 Park Place Court • Glen Allen. Vlrginla 23060 •(804) 527-3700 Vlrginla Department of Health • P.O. Box 2448 • Room 240 • Richmond. Vlrglnla 23218 •(804) 371 •4076 July 21, 1993 Honorable Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health and the Environment Dear Honorable Members, Virginia ASSIST is a coalition of 23 community organizations in Virginia working together to decrease the illness caused by tobacco. We urge that the EPA report be accepted as the state of the art of medical thinking regarding the health effects of environmental tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke often causes disease in the smoker - it can also cause disease in innocent bystanders. The scientific and medical literature is packed with evidence that tobacco smoke causes disease. There is no legitimate controversy about this. There are over 4000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, many of which are proven to cause cancer and other deadly diseases in humans, and the law requires the government to protect our citizens from cancer causing chemicals in the, workplace and in public places. Tobacco smoke is carcinogenic and people who don't choose to breathe it should be protected by law from being forced to do so. There are more than 20 scientific studies showing that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke increases the risk of developing serious diseases including lung cancer, and the fact that not all studies agree in their findings is to be expected. Taken as a whole, these studies show that regular long term exposure to environmental tobacco smoke can kill people. Not only is this scientifically valid, but it agrees with common sense. If people go on breathing poison year after year, some of them will die from it, and tobacco smoke is poison. We in Virginia ASSIST are a diverse group working together to improve the health of our citizens, by reducing the terrible burden of suffering and health care expenses caused by tobacco. Please do not allow paid spokepeople from the tobacco industry to erase the gains made by publication of the EPA report. Sincerely, Kevin R. Cooper, M.D. Professor of Medicine Chairman, Virginia ASSIST AMERICAN •Jt CANCER # soci,r, VIDH:w .~ 1 ~ Funding for the ASSIST Project is provided through the NaHonal Cancer Institute. Q 74-814 (232) ~