[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 21, 2000)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 69849-69850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29902]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 225 / Tuesday, November 21, 2000 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 69849]]

                Proclamation 7378 of November 15, 2000

                
National Great American Smokeout Day, 2000

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                In the 24 years since the American Cancer Society 
                organized the first Great American Smokeout, our 
                country has made encouraging progress in our battle to 
                reduce the devastating human and economic toll that 
                tobacco products take on our society. Today we have a 
                more comprehensive understanding of the dangers of 
                tobacco use and the sophisticated marketing tactics 
                used by tobacco companies, and we have developed more 
                effective methods for helping people break their 
                addiction to tobacco products.

                Despite the progress we have made, tobacco remains the 
                leading cause of preventable death in our Nation, with 
                more than 400,000 casualties from tobacco-related 
                illness each year. Since the first report of the 
                Surgeon General on smoking and health was issued in 
                1964, 10 million Americans have died from causes 
                attributed to smoking. More than 50 million Americans 
                are currently addicted to tobacco. Every day, another 
                3,000 young Americans become regular smokers; of these, 
                nearly 1,000 will die prematurely.

                A recent study funded by the National Institutes of 
                Health has shown that young people become addicted to 
                nicotine much more quickly than we previously thought. 
                Adolescents who smoke as infrequently as once a month 
                still experience symptoms of addiction. That is why my 
                Administration has urged the Congress to raise the tax 
                on cigarettes and grant authority to the Food and Drug 
                Administration to limit tobacco marketing and sales to 
                youth. I have also called on all the States to devote a 
                substantial portion of their tobacco settlement funds 
                to reduce youth smoking. Currently, tobacco companies 
                are spending nearly $7 billion a year to market their 
                products, dramatically more than the Federal Government 
                and all 50 States combined are spending on tobacco 
                prevention and cessation programs.

                My Administration has also joined with the American 
                Cancer Society and other public health organizations in 
                calling for public and private health plans to provide 
                coverage for and access to proven tobacco cessation 
                methods. We know that helping people quit smoking 
                produces immediate and long-term health benefits--
                saving money and saving lives.

                National Great American Smokeout Day presents all of us 
                with the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the 
                health and safety of all Americans. Smokers who quit 
                smoking for the duration of the day can lead by example 
                and take the first crucial step toward better health. 
                Nonsmokers can teach children about the dangers of 
                using tobacco and strengthen our Nation's efforts to 
                eliminate young people's exposure to secondhand 
                smoke.Through efforts like the Great American Smokeout 
                and the implementation of proven tobacco prevention 
                programs, we are moving toward my Administration's goal 
                of cutting smoking rates among teens and adults in half 
                within the decade.

                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 16, 2000, 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

[[Page 69850]]

                tobacco use and to take this opportunity to practice a 
                healthy lifestyle that sets a positive example for 
                young people.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand, and of the Independence of the United States 
                of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 00-29902
Filed 11-20-00; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P