Voice of the People

I would like to take this opportunity to urge Congressman Pete Visclosky to support S.625 and H.R. 1108, legislation that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution and sale of tobacco products.

Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) and Representatives Tom Davis (R-VA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) have introduced this legislation, demonstrating the strong bipartisan support for this bill. I ask that Congressman Visclosky commit to supporting this legislation on the floor, so as to choose the health of the constituents of his district over special protections for the tobacco industry

Tobacco use kills more than 400,000 Americans each year and costs our nation more than $75 billion in health care bills. Every day, another 1,500 kids become regular smokers, one-third of whom will die prematurely as a result. In fact, according to the 2006 Indiana Adult Tobacco Survey, more than 24 percent of adult Hoosiers are regular smokers (the fifth highest rate in the country) and nearly 9 out of ten of those surveyed reported they would like to break their addiction.

The FDA would have the authority to:

• Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children.

• Require changes in tobacco products, such as the reduction or elimination of harmful chemicals, to make them less harmful or less addictive.

• Restrict advertising and promotions that appeal to children.

• Prohibit unsubstantiated health claims about so-called “reduced risk” tobacco products that would have the effect of discouraging current tobacco users from quitting or encouraging new users to start.

• Require the disclosure of the contents of tobacco products and tobacco industry research about the health effects of their products.

• Require larger and more informative health warnings on tobacco products.

This bipartisan FDA legislation protects the public health and takes a significant step toward driving down the significant toll tobacco takes in terms of both Hoosier lives and costs to the Indiana economy. I urge Congressman Visclosky to join the other 196 Members of the House of Representatives and take a stand for the health of Hoosiers.

Sincerely,

Winfred Bowen

American Heart Association,

Northwest Indiana Board

Posted 9/5/2007