Tobacco Documents Online

L?'sTTER D? 1?:,K.3,:RS 0^ COnC?T:SS TO C1IAIRMAN ROSEL IC,= SUrP01'.TICG Tl!"c i°CC'S PROPOSED RULE TO BAt: CICARE2T'; ADVERTISING ON RADIO AND TELEVISION. February 19, 1969 Hon. Rosel 11. Hyde, Cha? imcn Federal Comnunicationc Co:.-.dosicn Washiagtcn, P,. C. Dear Mr. Chairr.sn: We are writing to c::preso oa: sepport for your move on February 5th to ban cigaretta commercia7.s frem our country's airvaves. Your Commission is to bn ccngratulc*_cd for its courage in acting in an area of criti^_al need and y^t one of considerable controversy. As you know, the United States i.s late in responding to the many studies that have been perfo,ri^c i.n recent years on cmoking and the dangers it inflicts on the p+.iblic'c lnalth. Cigarette smoking has been linked with cancer, heart cliseise, emphysema, aid a host of other maladies. The Public Health Service estim-tes that 300,000 cizcrette smoking Americans die prematurely each year. Other nations such as C=r^at Lritair., Denmar'r., Italy, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland hcve loag einc-i Scnned cigarette advertising from the airwave media. And yet, the United States, which has sponsored most of the research, continues to let the news media encourage the public to ker.p on smol:in,- and to seduce the young into taking up the h,!hir. This is irresponsibl.-. Voluntary limitations by the tobacco and broad- casting industries have no.: proved successful. It is time that our governmsnt act in the prbli.^.'s hchalf. We recognize thnt if cigar.ette cmolcing is reduced, sectors of our economy will be adversely affected. The federal government does have an obligation to taki steps to assist in the economic adjustments. Despite these problcros, cae must nove forward and not let raw economics stand in the way of better It"lth. Please be assured tnar: we, ns Mnrbers of Congress, will press to keep the Cigarette Labeling and !.-vcrtising Act's ban which prevents agencies, such as yours, from undertakinr to limit cigarette advertising from being renewed. We will do r.ll we can to prevcnt your ruling from being stillborn. Edward I. Koch (D-'1.Y.) Richard Bolling (D-Mo.) Bertram Claude Seymour Pod_'_1 (D ... .) Pepper (D-Fla.) Ifalpern (R-N.Y.) William Clay (D-Mo.) James Scheuer (D-N.Y.) Daniel E. Button (R-N.Y.) John Conyers, Jr. (D-'9ich) John Rrac:^mas (D-Ind.) Richard D. McCarthy (D-N.Y) George Brown (D-Cal.) Don Ed!;ards (D-Cal.) William F. Ryan (D-N.Y.) Robert Lcggett (D-Cal.) John DellenbacL• (R-Orer.) Arnold Olsen (D-P?nnt.) Donald Fraser (D-Minn.) TIMN 0032676 o<'~f g y ?y