-------Original Message------- From: Fuad Baradja Date: 04/10/2008 6:30:02 To: anti tembakau; tobacco control Subject: [tobacco control] TARGETING KIDS ....(DAN MEREKAPUN SELALU MEMBANTAH) Lawmakers accuse big tobacco of targeting kids
By Connie Thompson Watch the story WASHINGTON -- Cigarettes are deadly and the can cost millions in medical bills. So why do statistics show that roughly a thousand kids start smoking each day? Some lawmakers and health experts blame clever marketing that makes kids ignore the danger. Big tobacco is under fire again, for what some lawmakers say is blatant marketing to young people. They're trying to turn up the heat for new regulation. "Understand what tobacco companies are up to. They have one simple purpose: to make profits," said Rep. Tom Davis, R-Virginia. Profits, Davis says, are earned at the expense of kids. A new report claims there's an increase in new tobacco products aimed at attracting young people and making it hard for them to quit. Flavored tobacco products that taste and look like candy, fruit, even alcohol. Products in hip, hot colors- some that even dissolve in the mouth. Health experts say the subtleties are working. "Because over 4,000 kids try their first cigarette every day, and over 1,000 of them remain addicted for life," said Dr. Elmre Huerta with the American Cancer Society. The study, released by the campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, accuses big tobacco of secretly manipulating products to make them more addictive. "Now it's a real test for those of us in Washington to make sure we take these reports and take this information and move beyond the current law to a new law," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois. The proposed new law would put the tobacco industry under the regulatory microscope of the Food and Drug Administration. "The FDA has to regulate tobacco because tobacco is a drug, and it's a drug that causes significant harm," said Sen. Judd Gregg, R-New Hampshire. Sponsors of the new Senate bill say until congress gives the FDA full regulatory control over tobacco products, America's children will continue to be the guinea pigs at the expense of increased sales. R.J. Reynolds spokesman David Howard tells me the allegations in the coalition's report are absolutely not true. "We are only interested in and only market to one audience -- adult tobacco consumers," Howard said. Howard says regulations and efforts to reduce youth smoking are working with declines in youth smoking rates and and sales to minors. The tobacco industry says it supports regulation by the FDA as long as companies maintain the ability to compete for the business of adults who choose to use tobacco. Fuad Baradja Lembaga Menanggulangi Masalah Merokok (LM-3) Jakarta. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
