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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 The way to stem this loss of lives and money is through strong tobacco control laws, Connor said. But not enough is being done, he said, adding that he hopes the new Obama administration will be more active in supporting tobacco control.
"Firstly, the Congress must give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco products," Connor said. "State governments must step up and fully fund tobacco-cessation programs, increase cigarette taxes, and pass comprehensive smoke-free air laws."
Reaction to the report was strong.
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Dr. James Rohack, president-elect of the American Medical Association, said in a prepared statement, "This new report confirms that weak government tobacco policies fail to support smokers' efforts to quit, and fail to discourage teens from smoking."
He added, "The AMA encourages federal and state lawmakers to pass legislation that invests in tobacco prevention programs and will help Americans quit using tobacco and protect them from exposure to second-hand smoke."
Vince Willmore, vice president for communications at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said: "This report underscores that we know how to win the fight against tobacco use in the United States, but need strong political leadership to implement proven solutions at all levels of government."
"This report lays out a roadmap for the federal and state governments to follow, beginning with Congressional enactment of FDA regulation of tobacco products," he added.
David Sutton, a spokesman for Altria Group Inc., the parent company of the tobacco giant Philip Morris, said: "We sell our products only to adult consumers. We are looking for folks who choose to smoke who are of legal age to do so. We are going to compete for their business, but we are not looking to recruit new smokers and we certainly don't want anyone under age using tobacco products of any kind."
Sutton said Philip Morris is "opposed to excise taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products because they unfairly burden adult tobacco consumers." The company supports the efforts of smokers who want to quit and endorses having the FDA regulate tobacco products, he said.
More information
To see more on the public priorities suggested in the report, visit the American Lung Association.
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