U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation

For Immediate Release
November 9th, 2007

FTC, CDC, MEDICAL RESEARCH COMMUNITY TO TESTIFY TO THE ACCURACY OF THE FTC “TAR” AND “NICOTINE” CIGARETTE RATING SYSTEM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today announced that representatives from the Federal Trade Commission, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the medical research community are among witnesses scheduled to testify at a committee hearing on the Accuracy of the FTC Tar and Nicotine Cigarette Rating System. The two witness panels are listed below.

The Tuesday hearing will examine the accuracy of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) tar and nicotine cigarette rating system and the marketing claims of cigarette companies based on these ratings.

The FTC has raised concerns about its testing methods and has admitted in prior Congressional testimony that its “ratings tend to be relatively poor predictors of tar and nicotine exposure,” noting how machine-measured tar and nicotine ratings are not an accurate reflection of tar and nicotine intake.

The committee will also review the FTC’s jurisdiction over deceptive marketing and advertising practices. The committee will explore tobacco companies’ marketing of light cigarettes to Americans, the use of “light” and “ultra light” in cigarette manufacturers’ advertising practices, and the public health implications of changes in cigarette design.

Accuracy of the FTC Tar and Nicotine Cigarette Rating System

Full Committee

Date: Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Location: Room 253, Russell Senate Office Building

Witnesses:

Panel I

The Honorable William E. Kovacic, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

Cathy Backinger, Ph.D., Acting Chief, Tobacco Control Research Branch, National Cancer Institute

David L. Ashley, Ph.D., Chief of Emergency Response and Air Toxicants, Branch for the Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Panel II

Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., M.S., Professor and Chairman, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., Professor, Adjunct, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Vice President, Research and Health Policy, Pinney Associates

Marvin Goldberg, Ph.D., Bard Professor of Marketing, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University

Stephen Sheller, Founder and Managing Partner, Sheller, P.C.

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For Immediate Release November 9th, 2007

FTC, CDC, MEDICAL RESEARCH COMMUNITY TO TESTIFY TO THE ACCURACY OF THE FTC “TAR” AND “NICOTINE” CIGARETTE RATING SYSTEM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today announced that representatives from the Federal Trade Commission, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the medical research community are among witnesses scheduled to testify at a committee hearing on the Accuracy of the FTC Tar and Nicotine Cigarette Rating System. The two witness panels are listed below. The Tuesday hearing will examine the accuracy of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) tar and nicotine cigarette rating system and the marketing claims of cigarette companies based on these ratings. The FTC has raised concerns about its testing methods and has admitted in prior Congressional testimony that its “ratings tend to be relatively poor predictors of tar and nicotine exposure,” noting how machine-measured tar and nicotine ratings are not an accurate reflection of tar and nicotine intake. The committee will also review the FTC’s jurisdiction over deceptive marketing and advertising practices. The committee will explore tobacco companies’ marketing of light cigarettes to Americans, the use of “light” and “ultra light” in cigarette manufacturers’ advertising practices, and the public health implications of changes in cigarette design. Accuracy of the FTC Tar and Nicotine Cigarette Rating System Full Committee Date: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: Room 253, Russell Senate Office Building Witnesses: Panel I The Honorable William E. Kovacic, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission Cathy Backinger, Ph.D., Acting Chief, Tobacco Control Research Branch, National Cancer Institute David L. Ashley, Ph.D., Chief of Emergency Response and Air Toxicants, Branch for the Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Panel II Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., M.S., Professor and Chairman, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., Professor, Adjunct, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Vice President, Research and Health Policy, Pinney Associates Marvin Goldberg, Ph.D., Bard Professor of Marketing, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University Stephen Sheller, Founder and Managing Partner, Sheller, P.C. ###