[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[May 17, 2000]
[Page 955]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on the Need for Congressional Action on Tobacco
May 17, 2000

    New studies released by independent researchers today underscore the 
need for congressional action in the fight to protect our children from 
the dangers of tobacco. New studies by the Massachusetts Department of 
Public Health and the American Legacy Foundation show that tobacco 
advertising in magazines read by large numbers of kids has increased 
over one-third since the 1998 settlement agreement between States and 
tobacco companies. In addition, not only have tobacco companies 
increased the number of magazine ads targeted to young people, they may 
actually be doing it more effectively. The studies show that these ads 
are actually being seen by more young people. Top brand advertising 
alone now reaches 70 percent of all teens.
    I call on the attorneys general from the States who signed the 
agreement to take immediate and appropriate enforcement action to stop 
these practices. And again, I call on Congress to give the FDA 
meaningful authority to regulate the marketing, sale, and manufacturing 
of tobacco products. The youth-oriented advertising addressed in these 
studies would have been limited by the FDA rule. FDA's hands should not 
remain tied by congressional inaction.
    In 1998 Senators Frist and McCain introduced a bill that would have given the FDA 
authority to regulate the marketing and sale of tobacco products. 
Unfortunately, a weak, watered-down bill was introduced yesterday that 
would allow the marketing practices revealed today to continue. Instead 
of protecting our children from tobacco, some in Congress are actually 
trying to block out efforts to hold the tobacco industry accountable for 
decades of deception, as a Senate appropriations committee recently 
passed a rider that would stop the Justice Department from proceeding 
with litigation to recover Federal tobacco-related health costs from 
tobacco manufacturers. I urge Congress to reject this blatant effort to 
put special interests ahead of the taxpayers.