Congress urged to support FDA regulation of tobacco
28 faith leaders sign letter
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Twenty-eight national faith leaders recently sent a letter to every member of the U.S. Congress urging them to support legislation authorizing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products.
The letter was sent under the auspices of Faith United Against Tobacco, which is chaired by Jim Winkler, top executive of the United Methodist General Baard of Church & Society (GBCS).
“We have worked to gain FDA regulation of tobacco for nine years,” said the Rev. Cynthia Abrams, director of GBCS’s work area on Alcohol, Other Addictions and Health Care. “We expect our efforts this year to offer a real chance at passage.”
We expect our efforts this year to offer a real chance at passage.
Abrams said follow-up to the letter will be target activities in five key states during early March. The follow-up is to help convince the U.S. senators in those states to support the legislation. The five states are Arkansas, Iowa, Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia.
Virginia Bishop Charlene Kammerer will take part in a press conference at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Richmond on Thursday, March 5, at 11 a.m. The state passed legislation last month that extended smoking restrictions in restaurants to protect patrons and workers from second-hand smoke.
Vincent DeMarco, coordinator of Faith United Against Tobacco, said the United Methodist Iowa Conference was arranging an event, and First United Methodist Church in Little Rock, will host the Arkansas follow-up event. Details of both events were still being arranged.
The Faith United Against Tobacco letter points to the “ravages of tobacco use in our communities,” and describes the situation as a tragedy that must end.
The nation's leaders have a moral obligation to do all they can to protect Americans, especially children, from tobacco addiction and related disease, the letter declares.
More than 900 national, state and local groups support such legislation, according to the letter. It points out that both the President’s Cancer Panel and the Institute of Medicine support giving FDA the authority to regulate the manufacture and marketing of tobacco products.
Common-sense authority
Faith United Against Tobacco contends that if the FDA is given the “common-sense authority” to regulate tobacco products, it will be able to:
Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children.
Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children;
Ban candy-flavored cigarettes, which clearly are starter products for young smokers.
Require changes in tobacco products, such as the removal of harmful ingredients or the reduction of nicotine levels;
Prohibit health claims about so-called "reduced-risk" products that are not scientifically proven, that would discourage current tobacco users from quitting or that would encourage new people to start smoking;
Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco products, changes to their products and research about the health effects of their products;
Require larger, stronger and more informative health warnings on tobacco products; and
Prohibit terms such as "light," "mild" and "low-tar" that mislead consumers into believing certain cigarettes are safer than others.
We have buried too many mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers.
Faith United Against Tobacco says it is speaking out on this issue because “we have buried too many mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers struck down early because of tobacco addiction.”
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation in the 110th Congress to provide FDA with authority over tobacco products by “an overwhelming 326-102 vote.” The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee also passed such legislation.
The letter asks the members of Congress to cosponsor this legislation and to work for its speedy passage. “It is time to protect our children and families,” it emphasizes.
For more information, contact Vincent DeMarco, (410) 235-9000.
Faith United Against Tobacco provides ways for persons to respond by writing to Congress or letters to the editor on its website: Action Center.
Faith United Against Tobacco
Besides GBCS, members of the Faith United Against Tobacco include the Women's Division of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries and the General Commission on United Methodist Men.
Other members are National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA; Jewish Reconstructionist Federation; Rabbinical Assembly; Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; Seventh-day Adventists; National Woman's Christian Temperance Union; United Church of Christ; Islamic Society of North America; Health Ministries Assn.; Unitarian Universalist Assn. of Congregations; Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; and International Parish Nurse Resource Center.
Also, American Baptist Churches of the South; American Baptist Churches USA; Southern Baptist Convention; Peace and Justice Ministries, Presbyterian Church (USA); World Sikh Council - America Region; Church of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office; National Assn. of Evangelicals; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Washington Office; National Episcopal Health Ministries; Church Women United; Redeem the Vote; United Church of Christ; and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
For more on alcohol and other additions, visit the Alcohol & Other Addictions page on the GBCS website: Alcohol & Other Addictions.
Action Network
Cynthia Abrams supervises an “Action Network” that provides legislative updates, educational resources and identifies opportunities to act on issues involving alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, gambling and pornography. Information focuses on addiction recovery, prevention and regulation. She issues “action alerts” periodically through e-mail.
Joining the Alcohol & Other Addictions Action Network is free: go to umpower.org or click on My GBCS on the Geneal Board of Church & Society website, www.umc-gbcs.org. You can also contact Donna Brandyberry, (202) 488-5641.
Cynthia Abrams can be reached at (202) 488-5636.
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