Tobacco

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Each year over 400,000 Americans die due to smoking-related diseases and thousands more die from exposure to secondhand smoke. According to the World Health Organization, by 2025 smoking will cause over 10 million deaths a year worldwide. The consequences of tobacco to public health are devastating. (Last Updated March 17, 2005)

Latest News

Administration Promotes Tobacco Products Abroad

The World Health Organization has estimated that 4.9 million people will die this year from diseases caused by tobacco products, a massive death toll that will soon eclipse that of any single disease. Instead of leading international efforts to reduce tobacco use, the Bush Administration has taken a string of actions to promote the sale of U.S. cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products abroad.

Midnight Trade Deal Ends Tariffs on U.S. Cigarettes Sold in Chile

Rep. Waxman and Rep. Doggett call for a full investigation into a midnight trade deal by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick that will phase out tariffs on U.S. cigarettes sold in Chile, an abandonment of the Administration’s previously stated position that cigarettes would not be included in the trade negotiations.

Tobacco Companies Still Deny Harm of Cigarettes

As criticism of the tobacco industry has accelerated in recent years and calls for product regulation have grown, tobacco companies have defended themselves by saying they are now "responsible" corporations that aim to communicate honestly about their products. A new report released by Rep. Waxman examines recently submitted filings by the five largest cigarette manufacturers in the civil suit brought by the United States Department of Justice to evaluate the truthfulness of company statements.

Rep. Waxman Urges FTC to Reject Smokeless Claims

Rep. Waxman and Sen. Dick Durbin wrote the Federal Trade Commission to urge that the agency not permit smokeless tobacco to be marketed as a "safer" alternative to smoking. Citing new evidence that smokeless tobacco products are being marketed heavily in youth-oriented magazines, Rep. Waxman and Sen. Durbin also asked the National Association of Attorneys General to investigate the compliance of the United States Smokeless Tobacco Company with the multi-state Master Settlement Agreement which governs the way tobacco products are advertised and marketed in the U.S.

FDA Announcement: Nicotine Lollipops Unhealthy and Illegal

One week after Rep. Waxman called on the Department of Health and Human Services to halt the sale of nicotine lollipops, the FDA announced its finding that these products are illegal and directed sellers to move to discontinue sales within 15 days.

Nicotine Lollipops Illegally Sold

Rep. Waxman sent a letter to HHS describing the health risks posed by nicotine lollipops and urging the agency to halt the sale of these unapproved products.

Administration Holding Weak Positions on Tobacco Treaty

Writing in the March 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Rep. Waxman outlines deficiencies in U.S. negotiating positions on the global tobacco treaty, including weak positions on on tobacco taxes, advertising and promotion, labeling, trade, and passive smoking restrictions. He concludes, "We know more about the harm of tobacco consumption and effective ways to reduce this harm than about perhaps any other major cause of human suffering. That knowledge -- not political influence or campaign contributions -- should guide U.S. actions in these crucial public health negotiations." (Article not available online.)

U.S. Positions at Third Treaty Session Detailed

Rep. Waxman released a description of selected positions taken by the United States at the third negotiating session on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in November 2001.

FDA Regulation Needed to Curb Youth Smoking

Rep. Waxman released a GAO study that demonstrates state enforcement of youth smoking laws is inadequate. Many states used young teens to inspect retail outlets for compliance, artificially reducing violations. Fifteen states did not take enforcement action against stores selling cigarettes to children. The report shows that strong FDA regulation is needed to curb the epidemic of youth smoking.

New Tobacco Documents Allege Illegal Activity

Rep. Waxman wrote to the Attorney General with new evidence of bribery, obstruction of justice, purgery, and other illegal activity in the tobacco industry. These allegations were made by tobacco executive Ron Tully in two 1998 letters.

U.S. Negotiators Promoted Philip Morris's Changes to Global Tobacco Treaty

Rep. Waxman sent a letter to President Bush revealing that U.S. negotiators promoted 10 of 11 deletions to a global tobacco treaty urged by Philip Morris, the nation's largest cigarette manufacturer.

Administration Seeks to Weaken Global Tobacco Accord

Rep. Waxman wrote a letter to President Bush protesting the actions of the U.S. delegation at the most recent negotiating session of the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The letter, which is based on previously unreleased minutes of the meetings, reveals how the United States has tried to weaken or eliminate key provisions of the treaty related to tobacco labeling, advertising, exports, and other issues.

Child Tobacco Use Prevention Act and FDA Tobacco Jurisdiction Act

Reps. Waxman, James Hansen, and Marty Meehan introduced the Child Tobacco Use Prevention Act of 2001 (H.R. 1044). This comprehensive legislation to reduce tobacco use by children provides FDA the authority to regulate tobacco, establishes performance-based standards to give individual tobacco companies economic incentives to reduce the numbers of children that smoke, creates national requirements for smoke-free environments, and funds a new nationwide public education campaign. Reps. Waxman, Hansen, and Meehan also introduced the FDA Tobacco Jurisdiction Act of 2001 (H.R. 1043). This legislation authorizes the FDA to regulate tobacco products, validates FDA’s tobacco rule, and incorporates some key additional requirements, such as the elimination of the Marlboro Man and other human figures in advertising.

Underage Tobacco Buying Sting in U.S. Capitol Buildings

The Special Investigations Division worked with the American Lung Association to conduct an undercover "sting" to determine if teenagers could buy cigarettes in House, Senate, and Capitol buildings. One 15 year-old girl succeeded in buying cigarettes from all sites tested in the House office buildings. A teen also was able to buy cigarettes in Senate office buildings and the Capitol building itself.

Air Tobacco: Campaign Travel on Tobacco Industry Jets

Rep. Waxman released a report by the Special Investigations Division that investigated the tobacco industry’s practice of providing corporate aircraft to congressional leaders and political parties for campaign activities. The report found: (1) the tobacco industry provides more subsidized campaign travel to congressional leaders and political parties than any other corporate special interest; and (2) the principal beneficiary of subsidized campaign travel from the tobacco industry is the Republican congressional leadership and Republican party organizations.

Tobacco Companies’ Efforts to Target Children

Rep. Waxman released internal tobacco company documents that revealed the extent of the tobacco industry's efforts to market to children. One set of documents detailed R. J. Reynolds’s decades-long efforts to capture the youth market. The second set of documents, released by Reps. Waxman, John Dingell, and Sherrod Brown disclosed the efforts of Philip Morris to target children. In a detailed letter to Rep. Tom Bliley, then the Chairman of the House Commerce Committee, Rep. Waxman summarized the most important documents and their legal and policy significance.

Secret Attorney-Client Documents Are Evidence of Tobacco Industry Crimes or Fraud

Rep. Waxman released a report that describes the efforts of tobacco industry attorneys to conceal information from the public. In particular, the report describes previously secret attorney-client documents from Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. that show the central role played by industry lawyers in concealing health information.

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