Tobacco control bills
AAFP lobbies vs. Senate amendments, in favor of House bill
At press time, senators were siphoning off funds for public health as they tacked amendments onto S. 1415, the National Tobacco Policy and Youth Smoking Reduction Act.
AAFP Board Chair Patrick Harr, M.D., of Maryville, Mo., objected. "Recent passage by the Senate of amendments offered by Sen. Paul Coverdell, R-Ga., to increase funding for drug interdiction efforts and Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, to reduce the 'marriage penalty' (in income taxes) has greatly reduced funding going to public health programs," Harr said in a mid-June letter to all senators. "The Academy urges you to restore funding in S. 1415 for public health programs before final passage on the Senate floor."
Harr's letter reflected the Board's unanimous vote during its April 28-30 meeting that revenues from tobacco legislation should be used for public health programs, specifically tobacco-related programs, and for primary care research at the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
Last month the Academy also wrote all members of the House of Representatives, asking them to support H.R. 3868, the Bipartisan NO Tobacco for Kids Act. It was introduced by Reps. James Hansen, R-Utah; Martin Meehan, D-Mass.; and Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
H.R. 3868 contains virtually all of AAFP's five criteria for comprehensive tobacco legislation: strong steps to end tobacco use by children and reduce tobacco use by adults, with real timetables and penalties; full disclosure of all documents related to the harmful effects of nicotine; no immunity for tobacco companies from individual or class action lawsuits; and unrestricted authority for the Food and Drug Administration over all tobacco products.
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department. Copyright © 1998 by American Academy of Family Physicians.