THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 5, 1996 TAG: 9602010019
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
The attorneys general of 25 states say they need the federal government's help to curtail teenage smoking. Specifically, the 25 attorneys general support the Food and Drug Administration's proposal to regulate tobacco products as devices delivering a highly addictive drug - nicotine.
The megabillion-dollar tobacco industry is crying foul, and it could prevail, given its clout with Congress and state legislatures. But the FDA regulates nicotine patches, for example. Most adult Americans - including most of the one-fourth who smoke - recognize nicotine as a drug that causes most consumers of tobacco to smoke, chew or sniff it excessively, to their harm.
The federal Centers for Disease Control identifies cigarette smoking as the leading preventable cause of premature death in the United States. Cigarette makers are unmoved. Their rationale? People are free to choose. And they note how many people would be thrown out of work in a smoke-free world.
A smoke-free world isn't in the cards, of course. But it is reasonable for governments to treat nicotine as an addictive substance. Enforcing restrictions on children's access to cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff is a good place to start.
Three million U.S. teenagers smoke. Three thousand American children a day start smoking. One in three of these will die earlier than otherwise because they smoke. Youngsters who start smoking are likely to become lifelong smokers and are more likely than nonsmoking youths to experiment with marijuana and harder drugs.
Adults who didn't smoke as children are unlikely to become smokers. How to discourage youngsters from smoking? Regulating retail sales to youngsters helps. Taxing cigarettes heavily helps (and cuts adult smoking also). Regulating tobacco products as nicotine-delivery systems would help most of all.
In 1992, Congress banned store sales of tobacco to anyone under 18. In mid-January, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published rules spelling out how states are to enforce the federal prohibition.
The proposed FDA regulations would cut teen smoking sharply. The tobacco industry is fighting adoption of the rules tooth and nail. A score or so of bills to block FDA's regulation of tobacco products have been introduced in Congress. Having committed his administration to reducing teen smoking, President Clinton would veto them.
But Mr. Clinton's grip on the presidency is iffy. Big tobacco's influence in Washington was immense before the Arkansan got to the White House, is immense now and will be immense indefinitely. But nicotine is as addictive as cocaine and ought to be controlled as a drug. That would go far to keep it from children. Parents who agree could do worse than let their congressmen know. by CNB