Tobacco Documents Online

JUL-31-1997 11:41 American Medical Association phyatcians dedtcated to the health of America P.10i71 News Release { FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 1997 For further infonnation, contact: Brenda L. Craine 202-789-7447 AMA CALLS TOBACCO DEAL "A LANDMARK EFFORT" BUT MODIFICA'1'IONS MUST BE MADE The American Medical Association today announced support for a "comprehensive legislative solution" to reduce underage tobacco use based on the proposed tobacco settlement agreement -- if Congress adopts critical improvements. The AMA released a 45-page report, which calls for strengthening the agreement, especially two "essential" provisions that would "achieve real, permanent, major public health benefits:" The AMA recommendations would strengthen the FDA's jurisdiction over tobacco products -- so that the FDA is given the same authority over tobacco products that it has over other drugs and devices, and increase the penalty paid to the tobacco industry from $80 million to as much as $423 million for each percentage of underage use above the targets for underage smoking (based on the lifetime social costs of tobacco use). Richard F. Corlin, MD, speaker of the AMA's House of Delegates, called the agreement a."landmark effort," which contains many otherwise unachievable benefits. The AMA outlined nine advantages to addressing the tobacco problem through an improved version of the proposed settlement, rather than continuing litigation and piece-meal legislation, including the fact that the setflement wouid generate between $4.5 and $7.5 billion per year in funding for public health programs, would con8rtn FDA jurisdiction and' , implement unprecedented youth access and advertising restrictions immediately, and would established an ambitious set of targets for reducing underage smoking. 1101VecmoorttAvwe, NW w,shlqpn, oc 20005 . • 20rzM7aao

JUL-31-1997 11~42 "Tbe danger is that once the tobacco industry gets the relief it seeks, there is no incentive for them to cooperate fiuther," Dr. Corlin said. "In other words, we have to get it right the first time:' The AMA will now turn its attention to gaining public health support and legislative approval for a re-vamped settlement proposal that is modified according to task force recommendations, while offering medicine's input to the Clinton administration as it continues to evaluate the initial settlement proposal. "We will lobby vigorously for the adoption of these changes as part of any comprehensive legislation passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton," said Randolph Smoak, M.D., AMA Vice Chair. "The AMA's commitment is to help organize a broad-based public health coalition that will engage leaders in Congress and the White House on behalf of America's young people who, for too long, have been seduced by cigarette-makers." P.11i71 The Task Force report calls for several additional changes in the agreement, including certain " strongly recommended" modifications: • increasing the price of cigarettes by $1.00 per pack as opposed to the proposed $0.62 ~ per pack; ~ • allowing the FDA to progressively tighten the Look Back program after ten years with the goal of reducing underage tobacco use to incidental levels; • clarifying the preemptive effect of federal youth access restrictions so that states and local governments may impose civil sanctions on tobacco retailers beyond the federal minimum; • expanding the restrictions to tombstone-only advertising for all publications. .., _ . ,~ , ..r.: _ .. •• assuring that the Look Back program for reducing underage use of smokeless tobacco is identical to targets for reducing underage smoking.