[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3436]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       AMERICAN LEGACY FOUNDATION

  Mr. CARPER. Today is March 4. Five years ago today something called 
the American Legacy Foundation was created. Over the past 5 years, 
Legacy Foundation has helped us to make great strides in the 
improvement of health for all kinds of Americans, not only today but in 
the years to come. They have helped us to begin building a world where 
young people reject tobacco and where just about anyone can quit 
smoking. But as we celebrate the work of the foundation today, a lot 
more work needs to be done.
  The foundation was established in March of 1999 as a result of 
something called the Master Settlement Agreement between a coalition of 
attorneys general in 46 States and 5 U.S. territories and the tobacco 
industry. The foundation remains primarily today funded by payments 
designated by the settlement.
  The foundation develops national programs that address the health 
effects of tobacco use. They do it through grants, technical training 
and assistance, and youth activism, strategic partnerships, 
countermarketing and grassroots marketing campaigns, public relations, 
and community outreach to populations disproportionately affected by 
the toll of tobacco.
  The foundation has two goals that guide its work toward creating 
tobacco-free generations. One of those is to arm all young people with 
the knowledge and tools to reject tobacco. The other is to eliminate 
the disparities in access to tobacco prevention and cessation services.
  The truth campaign is one effort to curb tobacco use among teens. 
Truth is the foundation's comprehensive counter-marketing campaign to 
prevent and reduce youth smoking. The truth campaign was credited by 
the National Institute on Drug Abuse as one of the major programs which 
contributed to the steady reduction in teen cigarette smoking.
  In addition to celebrating this achievement today, I also want to 
share with my colleagues the very real threats faced by the American 
Legacy Foundation. This year the foundation received its last payment 
from the Master Settlement Agreement. Because of this drastic reduction 
in resources, all of the successes that have been achieved to date are 
suddenly jeopardized. I don't believe we can afford to lose any of the 
ground we have gained on tobacco control.
  I ask my colleagues to consider these facts: Tobacco is the leading 
cause of preventable death in this country. Tobacco kills some 440,000 
people per year--more than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, 
murders, and suicides combined. Twenty-four percent of high school 
students in my State still smoke. That is down from where it was a 
couple years ago, but still almost one out of four. Every day some 
2,000 teenagers begin smoking. Their average age is actually about 13. 
Of those who become hooked on smoking, one of three will end up dying 
from their use of tobacco.
  Each year in my State of Delaware, some 1,100 adults die from 
cigarette smoking. I am told over 900 kids in my State have lost at 
least one parent through smoking-caused death. I would also say smoking 
is having a financial impact. Annual health care expenditures in my 
State caused by tobacco use total $221 million and over $62 million in 
State Medicaid payments are related to tobacco use.
  I had the privilege of being the founding cochairman of the American 
Legacy Foundation. Our founding chairman was Chris Gregoire, the 
Attorney General of Washington State. I was succeeded and joined on the 
foundation board by former Governor Mike Leavitt of Utah, now head of 
EPA, and by Parris Glendenning, former Governor of Maryland. I am proud 
of the association I had with the foundation at its beginning and the 
great work we did, especially with young people who themselves helped 
to design, to craft, and to deliver the truth campaign. In no small 
part because of their efforts, especially the young people, the 
incidence of smoking has dropped significantly over the last half dozen 
years, and it is important that that work and that trend continue.
  I thank the Chair for the time and I thank my colleague from Nevada 
and my colleague from Minnesota for allowing me to speak.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.
  Mr. COLEMAN. Madam President, are we still in morning business?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.

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