[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 16 (Friday, January 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3701-3703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1719]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
[Docket No. 95N-253V]


Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco; Notice of Public Video 
Conference

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public video conference.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing that it 
is sponsoring a national video conference to promote understanding of, 
and to encourage compliance with, FDA's regulations restricting the 
sale and distribution of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to protect 
children and adolescents. The video conference will focus on those 
provisions of the final rule that take effect on February 28, 1997, 
when retailers will be prohibited from selling cigarettes, cigarette 
tobacco, or smokeless tobacco to persons under the age of 18, and will 
be required to check the photographic identification of persons under 
the age of 27 to verify their age. FDA officials will attend the 
conference, explain the new regulations, and be available to answer 
questions. The purpose of the national video conference is to advance 
the agency's mission to promote and protect the public health.

DATES: The video conference will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 1997, 
from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., e.s.t. The deadline for registration is 
Tuesday, February 11, 1997. Persons will be registered in the order in 
which their call is received. Late registration will be accepted if 
space is available.

ADDRESSES: See Table 1 in the ``Supplementary Information'' section of 
this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: See Table 1 in the ``Supplementary 
Information'' section of this document.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Federal Register of August 28, 1996 
(61 FR 44396), FDA published a final rule to restrict the sale and 
distribution of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in order to protect 
children and adolescents. These regulations will address the serious 
public health problem caused by cigarettes and smokeless tobacco 
products. They will

[[Page 3702]]

reduce children's and adolescents' easy access to cigarettes and 
smokeless tobacco and will significantly decrease the amount of 
positive imagery that makes these products so appealing to children.
    Certain provisions in the rule have different effective dates. 
Starting February 28, 1997, the rule requires that retailers must not 
sell cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, or smokeless tobacco to any person 
under the age of 18, and retailers must check the photographic 
identification of every person under the age of 27 who wishes to buy 
such a product to verify that the purchaser is at least 18 years old. 
Starting August 28, 1997, the remaining provisions of the rule will 
become effective, except for the sponsorship provision, which will 
become effective starting August 28, 1998.
    The video conference will focus on the provisions that will be 
effective starting February 28, 1997. The purpose of the conference is 
to educate retailers and the public about the new provisions and the 
agency's enforcement strategy. The conference format will include: 
Video segments providing background to the new regulations; filmed 
depictions of legal and illegal sales; live interviews with senior 
public officials; and a segment during which FDA officials responsible 
for implementing the rule will take questions from persons attending in 
the studio and around the country.
    Interested persons may attend the video conference on Tuesday, 
February 18, 1997, between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. (e.s.t.), at the 
locations listed in Table 1.
    There is no charge to attend the video conference; however, advance 
registration is required because seating is limited. The deadline for 
registering is Tuesday, February 11, 1997. Persons will be registered 
in the order in which their call is received. Registration will be 
accepted so long as space is available. Late registration will be 
accepted only if space is available. Persons interested in attending 
should telephone their name, organization, address, and telephone 
number to the FDA contact person listed in Table 1.

                                                     Table 1                                                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Metropolitan Area                           Conference Address                         FDA Contact Person   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buffalo, NY                University Cinema, 4100 Maple Rd., Amherst, NY               Diana Monaco, 716-551-  
                                                                                         4461                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burlington, VT             Sheraton-Burlington, 870 Williston Rd., Burlington, VT       Paula Fairfield, 617-279-
                                                                                         1675                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charleston, SC             Aviation Avenue Cinemas, 2390 West Aviation Ave., North      Sheila Bayne Lisby, 404-
                            Charleston, SC                                               347-4001               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charleston, WV             Kanawha Cinemas, 601 57th St., Charleston, WV                Ruth Weisheit, 216-273- 
                                                                                         1038                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cincinnati, OH             Showcase Cincinnati, 1701 Showcase Dr., Cincinnati, OH       Marilyn Zipkes, 513-684-
                                                                                         3501, ext. 110         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX      United Artists Bedford 10, 2000 Forum Pkwy., Bedford, TX     Juan Tijerina, 210-229- 
                                                                                         4531, ext. 13          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Denver, CO                 Greenwood Plaza, 8141 East Arapahoe Rd., Englewood, CO       Virlie Walker, 303-236- 
                                                                                         3018                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indianapolis IN            United Artists Circle Center Theatre, 49 West Maryland St.,  Janet LeClair, 317-226- 
                            Indianapolis, IN                                             6500                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jackson, MS                Parkway Place 10, 1075 Parkway Blvd., Flowood, MS            Darlene Tollestrup, 504-
                                                                                         589-2420, ext. 121     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas City, MO            Bannister Mall 5, 5600 East Bannister Rd., #268, Kansas      Tywanna Paul, 913-752-  
                            City, MO                                                     2141                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Little Rock, AR            Park Plaza 7, 6320 ``C'' St., Little Rock, AR                Gilbert Meza, 602-379-  
                                                                                         4595                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minneapolis, MN            Woodbury Theatre, 1470 Queens Dr., Woodbury, MN              Steve Davis, 414-771-   
                                                                                         7167                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Orleans, LA            Kenner 8, 1000 West Esplanade Ave., Kenner, LA               Darlene Tollestrup, 504-
                                                                                         589-2420               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New York, NY               Criterion Center Theatre, 1514 Broadway, New York, NY        Herman Janiger, 718-965-
                                                                                         5300, ext. 5754        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norfolk, VA                Movies at Kempsriver, 1220 Fordham Rd., Virginia Beach, VA   Leonard Geneva, 410-962-
                                                                                         3731                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orlando, FL                Movies at Florida Mall, 1001 Florida Mall Ln., Orlando, FL   Lynne Isaacs, 407-648-  
                                                                                         6922, ext. 202         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philadelphia, PA           Riverview Plaza, 1400 South Delaware Ave., Philadelphia, PA  Theresa Holmes, 215-597-
                                                                                         4390, ext. 4202        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 3703]]

                                                                                                                
Phoenix, AZ                United Artists Christown Mall, 1546 West Montebello,         Gil Meza, 602-379-4595  
                            Phoenix, AZ                                                                         
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Portland, OR               Westgate 5, 3950 SW. Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR        Alan Bennett, 503-671-  
                                                                                         9332                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raleigh, NC                Mission Valley Cinemas, 2109 Advent Ferry Rd., Raleigh, NC   JoAnn Pittman, 404-347- 
                                                                                         4001, ext. 5340        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint Louis, MO            Westport Cinema, 910 Westport Plaza St., Louis, MO           Mary-Margaret           
                                                                                         Richardson, 314-645-   
                                                                                         1167, ext. 123         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salt Lake City, UT         Broadway Center Cinema, 111 East Broadway, Salt Lake City,   Virlie Walker, 303-236- 
                            UT                                                           3018                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Diego, CA              United Artists Horton Plaza, 475 Horton Plaza, San Diego,    Rosario Vior, 714-798-  
                            CA                                                           7607                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Francisco, CA          UA Emery Bay 10, 6330 Christie Ave., Emeryville, CA          Janet McDonald, 510-337-
                                                                                         6845                   
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San Juan, PR               United Artists Cinema, 150 Laguna Garden Shopping Ctr., San  Ruth Marcano, 787-729-  
                            Juan, PR                                                     6842                   
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    Dated: January 17, 1997.
William K. Hubbard,
Associate Commissioner for Policy Coordination.
[FR Doc. 97-1719 Filed 1-21-97; 3:06 pm]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-F