HHS NEWS

P97-5                           Food and Drug Administration  
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           Larry Bachorik  
February 11, 1997               Linda Ruckel  
                                Media Inquiries: 301-827-6242
                                Consumer Inquiries: 1-888-INFO-FDA                                      
                                


          FDA LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE OUTREACH 
           TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM TOBACCO PRODUCTS

     The Food and Drug Administration today launched a nationwide
outreach effort to retailers, parents and community leaders about
the provisions of the FDA rule to protect children from tobacco
products.  The first provisions of the rule -- making 18 the age
for the purchase of tobacco products nationwide and requiring
photo IDs for anyone under 27 -- become effective Feb. 28, 1997.
     As President Clinton said in his State of the Union address,
œItœs critical to protect our children by standing firm in our
determination to ban the advertising and marketing of cigarettes
that endanger their lives.œ
     The FDA will hold 10 regional outreach meetings around the
country in the next three weeks and one national televised
outreach meeting, and has mailed to more than 400,000 retailers
information about the provisions of the new FDA rule.  In
addition, informational brochures for retailers and consumers
will be distributed nationwide, and a toll-free telephone number
(1-888-FDA-4KIDS) has been established for retailers to obtain
further information.  
     In addition to the public education campaign, FDA will
enforce the new rule by working with state and local officials in
conducting spot checks of retail outlets.  The nationwide toll-
free telephone number has also been designed so that anyone can
report potential violations.  Retailers can be subject to
penalties of $250 or more for selling tobacco products to minors.
     "We are going to work with store owners to make sure they
understand their responsibility not to sell tobacco products to
anyone under 18," said Health and Human Services Secretary Donna
E. Shalala.  "Our kids deserve a life free from the deadly
disease that comes with using tobacco."
     Nearly 3,000 young people become regular smokers each day,
and nearly 1,000 of these children and adolescents will die early
from their use of tobacco products.
     "Nicotine addiction begins as a pediatric disease," said FDA
Commissioner David A. Kessler, M.D.  "We will be vigorous in our
enforcement efforts: Our children deserve that."
     The regional meetings will be held between Feb. 11 and Feb.
27 in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Boulder, Chicago, Detroit,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, and Seattle.  On Feb. 18, the
national teleconference will be televised in an additional 25
cities around the country.
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