    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [June 20, 1997]
    [Pages 774-775]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Proposed Tobacco Agreement
    June 20, 1997

        Less than one year ago, my administration announced an historic rule
    to protect children from the harm caused by tobacco products. Two months
    ago, a court in North Carolina issued

    [[Page 775]]

    a landmark ruling confirming my decision that the Food and Drug
    Administration has authority to regulate tobacco products to protect our
    children's health. These victories for the public health drove the
    tobacco companies to the bargaining table and extracted concessions from
    them that would have been unimaginable just a short time ago.
        I commend the attorneys general and other people working with them,
    including children's health leaders, for their hard work in negotiating
    this agreement in a way that seeks to advance our struggle to protect
    the health of children against the dangers of tobacco. They deserve our
    thanks for doing so.
        We must now carefully consider whether approving this proposed
    settlement will protect the public health--and particularly our
    children's health--to the greatest extent possible. Until now, we have
    not had the opportunity to review the actual terms of the agreement, and
    we have not concluded whether it is in the best interests of the public
    health. Over the next several weeks, we will undertake a thorough public
    health review. I am asking Bruce Reed, my Domestic Policy Adviser--along
    with Donna Shalala, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human
    Services--to engage in extensive consultations with the public health
    community and others to subject this agreement to the strictest
    scrutiny. They will report to me on whether this agreement represents
    the best means of protecting the Nation's public health interests.
        In the meantime, we will fight as hard as ever to ensure that the
    FDA rule stands. Each day, 3,000 young people become regular smokers;
    1,000 of them will have their lives cut short as a result. Protecting
    the health of the public and these children will be our measure of this
    proposed agreement.