[C-U Smokefree] Fwd: Message From Senator Durbin

[carlisle at soltec.net]

----- Forwarded message from Correspondence_Reply at durbin.senate.gov -----
    Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:14:19 -0400
    From: Correspondence_Reply at durbin.senate.gov
Reply-To: Correspondence_Reply at durbin.senate.gov
 Subject: Message From Senator Durbin
      To: carlisle at soltec.net





March 22, 2007



Mr. George Carlisle
406 E Green St
Apt 102
Urbana, IL  61802

Dear Mr. Carlisle:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for tobacco policy
reform.  I appreciate hearing from you.

I share your concerns regarding this important issue.  Tobacco is the
number one preventable cause of death in the United States, killing more
than 400,000 Americans each year.  Included in this number are an
estimated 3,000 non-smoking adults who die each year as a result of
breathing smoke from the cigarettes of others, and an additional
35,000-40,000 who die from heart disease caused by secondhand smoke.
Tobacco use also drains the economy of more than $100 billion in health
care costs and lost productivity each year.

I have been among those leading the federal effort to reduce tobacco use
and protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke.  My efforts began in
1987, when I succeeded in passing legislation that banned smoking on
short-distance commercial airline flights.  This victory set the stage
for my subsequent measure adopted in 1989, which extended the smoking
ban to virtually all domestic airline flights.  In 2000, I succeeded in
banning smoking on international flights to and from the United States
as well.

Every day, 2,000 children join the ranks of regular smokers, 600 of whom
will die prematurely of tobacco-related illnesses. I have been working
to enact and strengthen laws to keep children away from all tobacco
products--including cigarettes, bidis, cigars, and smokeless tobacco.

According to the Institute of Medicine, "Pricing policy is perhaps the
single most important element of an overall comprehensive strategy to
reduce tobacco use, and particularly to reduce use among children."  I
have supported efforts to increase the tobacco tax to discourage young
people from starting a life of addiction and disease, and I have sought
to allocate revenue from a tobacco tax increase to medical research that
will benefit all Americans.

In 2003, I sent a letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft requesting
action against companies that violate federal law by selling tobacco
products over the Internet, a practice that promotes tax evasion and
puts cigarettes within reach of young people.  I also have proposed
legislation to hold the tobacco industry accountable for underage use of
its products, and I have introduced legislation to require stronger,
more prominent warning labels on tobacco products.

I support Congressional action to give the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) authority to regulate this product that kills one out of three
regular users.  I cosponsored a bill in 2002 to give the FDA that
authority and will continue to support such efforts.

I remain committed to passing tobacco legislation to protect children
from tobacco, help smokers quit, and protect the health of Americans who
choose not to smoke.

Thank you again for your message.  Please feel free to keep in touch.

Sincerely,



Richard J. Durbin
                                    United States Senator

RJD/cc

P.S. If you are ever visiting Washington, please feel free to join
Senator Obama and me at our weekly constituent coffee.  When the Senate
is in session, we provide coffee and donuts every Thursday at 8:30 a.m.
as we hear what is on the minds of Illinoisans and respond to your
questions.  We would welcome your participation.  Please call my D.C.
office for more details.




----- End forwarded message -----





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