[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 226 (Monday, November 24, 1997)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 62679-62680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31069]



[[Page 62677]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part III





The President





_______________________________________________________________________



Proclamation 7051--National Great American Smokeout Day, 1997
 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 226 / Monday, November 24, 1997 / 
Presidential Documents  

 ___________________________________________________________________

 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 62679]]

                Proclamation 7051 of November 20, 1997

                
National Great American Smokeout Day, 1997

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                For 21 years, this special day has been devoted to 
                communicating a simple message: if you smoke, you need 
                to quit--for life. Smoking is the largest cause of 
                preventable death in this country, eventually killing 
                one of every two people who continue to smoke. Every 
                day, 3,000 adolescents in America smoke their first 
                cigarette, taking the first step to becoming regular 
                smokers, and one-third of these new smokers will 
                eventually die of tobacco-related diseases. Each of 
                these devastating statistics represents a personal 
                tragedy, needless suffering, and irreparable loss.

                Because most smokers--more than 80 percent of them--
                begin smoking before their 18th birthday, my 
                Administration is working hard to reach children before 
                they decide to start. Last year, I announced tough 
                measures to limit children's access to tobacco products 
                and to reduce their appeal to young people. Now we are 
                working with the Congress, the public health community, 
                State attorneys general across the country, and other 
                interested organizations to develop and pass 
                comprehensive national legislation to reduce teen 
                smoking significantly.

                Such legislation must set ambitious targets to cut teen 
                smoking rates and stiff financial penalties to help 
                ensure that tobacco companies meet those targets. To 
                counteract the pervasive influence of cigarette and 
                smokeless tobacco advertising and promotion, we must 
                mount a nationwide effort to strip tobacco of its 
                allure, warning our young people of its addictive 
                nature and deadly consequences and helping parents 
                discourage their children from ever taking up the 
                habit. The Food and Drug Administration must have full 
                authority to see to it that industry develops less 
                addictive, reduced-risk products. And we must 
                strengthen and expand our current efforts to limit the 
                advertising of tobacco to children and restrict young 
                people's access to tobacco products.

                The Great American Smokeout offers all Americans, 
                smokers and nonsmokers alike, an invaluable opportunity 
                to show our young people how much we care about them 
                and how much their good health means to us. I urge the 
                almost 48 million adult Americans and 4 million of our 
                young people who still smoke to set an example of 
                strength and determination by quitting for the day and, 
                ultimately, for life. I encourage students across the 
                Nation to participate in Smokeout activities designed 
                to teach them about the dangers of smoking. I ask all 
                Americans to renew their commitment to a smoke-free 
                environment for themselves and for our children. If we 
                can accomplish these goals today, we can do so every 
                day, creating a better, healthier future for us all.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
                States, do hereby proclaim November 20, 1997, as 
                National Great American Smokeout Day. I call upon all 
                Americans to join together in an effort to educate our 
                children about the dangers of tobacco use, and I urge 
                both smokers and nonsmokers to take this opportunity to 
                begin healthier lifestyles that set a positive example 
                for young people.

[[Page 62680]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord 
                nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the 
                Independence of the United States of America the two 
                hundred and twenty-second.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 97-31069
Filed 11-21-97; 11:41 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P