[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 13 (Monday, April 3, 2000)]
[Pages 634-635]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

March 25, 2000

    Good morning. As I reach the end of my terrific week in South Asia 
and prepare to return home, I want to talk to you this morning about the 
greater challenge we now face to keep our children safe from the dangers

[[Page 635]]

of tobacco. Every single day another 3,000 American children smoke their 
first cigarette. Most of them will be hooked for life, and a third of 
them will die earlier as a result.
    That's why our administration has worked so hard to highlight the 
health threat teen smoking poses and to keep tobacco products out of the 
hands of our children. We supported State and local efforts to stop 
underage smoking before it starts. And we know these efforts work. 
Massachusetts has used education programs to reduce high school student 
smoking by 15 percent. Oregon cut eighth-grader smoking rates by almost 
a third in just one year.
    Five years ago we asked the Food and Drug Administration to start a 
campaign to slash teen smoking in every State and to treat nicotine like 
the dangerous drug it is. The FDA wrote strong, effective rules to 
prevent any child under 18 from buying any tobacco product anywhere in 
the United States. The FDA was also prepared to end tobacco advertising 
that is shamelessly aimed at addicting another generation of our young 
people.
    This effort had strong support from public health leaders in both 
parties in Congress, but it collapsed under the pressure of tobacco 
companies and the Republican leadership in Congress while the tobacco 
industry challenged the rules in court.
    This week, in a setback for the health of our children, the Supreme 
Court ruled that the FDA must have explicit authorization from Congress 
before it can regulate tobacco. However, all nine Justices made it 
perfectly clear that they believe tobacco is dangerous, especially to 
young people. The majority opinion called it, quote, ``perhaps the most 
significant threat to health in the United States.''
    Now, the American people know this. They've known it for a long 
time. Now the ball is in Congress' court. They should show they also 
understand the danger to our young people and give the FDA's tobacco 
regulations the force of law.
    This is not a partisan issue. It's a health issue for our Nation and 
a life-or-death issue for children. In 1998 a bipartisan group of 
Senators offered legislation that would have let the FDA's campaign move 
forward. It had the support of 57 Senators from both sides of the aisle, 
but the leadership blocked it. And this week similar bipartisan 
legislation was introduced in the House. I urge both Houses of Congress 
to pass it promptly.
    The Justice Department also has sued the tobacco manufacturers to 
recover the cost of tobacco-related illnesses and to make sure they're 
held accountable for actions that they take. I ask Congress to support 
these efforts, as well, not undermine them, as some have threatened to 
do.
    I also ask Congress to work with me to take action to protect the 
financial security of tobacco farmers and their communities. And 
finally, I challenge the States to do their part, as well, by dedicating 
the money they've collected from tobacco settlements to fund antismoking 
programs for children and young people.
    Preventing our children from smoking is our common responsibility. 
It's a fight we can win and one we must win, starting now.
    Thanks for listening.

 Note: The address was recorded at 12:05 p.m. on March 24 at the Stock 
Exchange, Mumbia, India, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on March 25. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
March 24 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast.