THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 13, 1995 TAG: 9502100014
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Recently, a PBS ``Frontline'' program showed how the tobacco industry manipulates the nicotine content of cigarettes to keep smokers hooked. This information resulted from a House investigation by the Energy & Commerce Committee under the chairmanship of Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
The health risks and addictive properties of tobacco and nicotine have been studied thoroughly under the direction of FDA Director David Kessler. However, the new Republican leadership of the House is coming to the rescue of the tobacco corporations. The new Republican chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Tom Bliley, says that the investigation will be terminated. Speaker Newt Gingrich, in characteristic fashion, adds his bit, blasting Kessler as a ``bully and a thug.''
Here's the first dividend from the recent Republican victory: a big negative for the public's health, and a go-ahead to the tobacco industry to get children hooked on smoking. Also, it's not surprising that PBS is high up on Gingrich's ``kill'' list.
ALAN RHODES
Chesapeake, Jan. 21, 1995 by CNB