Tobacco legislation must meet five key criteria ...
... otherwise, it's just a lot of smoke
The Academy is lobbying for strong tobacco legislation that will reduce smoking by adults as well as children.
AAFP Director David West, M.D., of Grand Junction, Colo., wrote AAFP members who are key legislative contacts last month. "We think there is a very good chance tobacco legislation will not pass, or that it will be so weak that it will have little effect on tobacco use rates," said West. "Members of Congress are likely to push for strong legislation only if they hear from constituents like you."
The Academy is now asking all AAFP members to take action. Call or write your senators and representative today and tell them: I, along with more than 85,000 members of the American Academy of Family Physicians, say that tobacco policy needs to measure up to five important criteria (otherwise, it's just a lot of smoke):
- End tobacco use by children, with real timetables and penalties.
- Reduce tobacco use by adults, with real timetables and penalties.
- Pursue full disclosure of all documents related to the harmful effects of nicotine.
- Allow victims to seek reparations, with no immunity for tobacco companies from individual or class action lawsuits.
- Give the FDA unrestricted authority over all tobacco products.
As my (senator, representative), you must fight for the life and health of all Americans. As a family physician and your constituent, I say that if final legislation does not contain the above elements, it does not measure up!
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department. Copyright © 1998 by American Academy of Family Physicians.