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April 27, 1998
PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS NEW SURGEON GENERAL'S REPORT UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE BIPARTISAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION
President Clinton said today that a new Surgeon General's report
on tobacco underscores the urgent need for comprehensive
legislation to reduce youth smoking. Over the last six years, youth
smoking has increased by one third. Smoking has increased among
young people of all races and ethnicities, growing by a startling
80 percent among African American youth. Today, 40 percent of white
high school students smoke, as do one-half of young Native
Americans, one third of Hispanics, and one-fifth of Asian and
African Americans. Every day, 3000 children become regular smokers
-- and 1000 of them will die as a result. This report -- the first
to be released by newly appointed Surgeon General David Satcher --
is the first comprehensive source of data on the use and health
effects of tobacco among ethnic groups.
The Surgeon General's Report Documents Disturbing Trends in
Tobacco Use. African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and
American Indians/Alaska Natives make up nearly one-fourth of the
United States population. The report provides a comprehensive
analysis on the effect of tobacco on these groups, including that:
- Teen smoking rates are rising in all ethnic groups.
- Teen smoking rates rose dramatically among African Americans
and Hispanics from 1991 to 1997. Smoking rates among African
American high school students were up by a startling 80 percent,
and smoking rates among Hispanic high school students increased by
34 percent. Smoking among white high school students increased from
31 to 40 percent.
- The most recent data also shows disturbing trends among Asian
American and American Indian/Alaska Native youth. From 1990 to
1995, cigarette smoking increased by 17 percent among Asian
American 12th graders and by 26 percent among their American Indian
and Alaska Native counterparts.
- The report also documents that American Indians have the
highest adult smoking rates of any ethnic or minority group in the
United States -- nearly 40 percent, compared to 25 percent of all
adults.
- Cigarette smoking is a major cause of death and disease among
all minority and ethnic groups. The report documents that:
- Lung cancer is the leading cancer death for all four minority
groups. The increase in youth smoking threatens to reverse recent
progress made against lung cancer among these groups.
- African-American men bear the greatest health burdens from
lung cancer, with death rates about 50 percent higher than whites.
Lung cancer incidence has increased substantially among Alaska
Natives (93 percent increase for men and 241 percent increase for
women) since the 1970s.
- Smoking increases infant mortality and low birth weight. The
risk of low birth weight babies is almost twice as high for smokers
than for non-smokers. Among smokers, the rate of sudden infant
death syndrome is particularly high among Hispanics, African
Americans, and Asian Americans.
- The tobacco industry has targeted advertising and promotion
campaigns in ethnic and minority communities that pose serious
challenges to reducing smoking among this population. The report
found that:
- Tobacco products are advertised intensively in minority
communities. For example, in one city, 62 percent of billboards in
predominantly African American neighborhoods advertised cigarettes,
compared with 36 percent of billboards citywide.
- More research is needed to understand racial and ethnic smoking
patterns and to reduce tobacco use among racial and ethnic
minorities.
- The Surgeon General's report highlights successful
community-based tobacco prevention and cessation programs, as well
as successful federal programs that are tailored to the needs of
specific minority and ethnic communities.
- The report, however, also demonstrates the need for further
research to develop the prevention and cessation programs that will
be most effective in minority communities.
The President Renewed His Call for Comprehensive Bipartisan
Tobacco Legislation. The President emphasized that this report
again demonstrates the need to pass bipartisan comprehensive
tobacco legislation to reduce youth smoking this year. Noting that
Senator McCain's bill is a strong step in the right direction, the
President renewed his call for Congress to send him legislation
that:
- Raises the price of cigarettes by up to $1.50 a pack over the
next ten years and imposes tough penalties on companies that
continue to sell to kids;
- Confirms the FDA's authority to regulate tobacco products;
- Gets tobacco companies out of the business of marketing to
children;
- Furthers public health research and goals; and
- Protects tobacco farmers and their communities.