[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 47 (Monday, November 24, 1997)]
[Pages 1872-1873]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7051--National Great American Smokeout Day, 1997

November 20, 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.

[[Page 1873]]

    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.
    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.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:41 a.m., November 21, 
1997]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on 
November 24.