wfn.org | Coalition Praises Tobacco Rules

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3143 notes).

Note 3143 by UMNS on Aug. 27, 1996 at 16:57 Eastern (4481 characters).

SEARCH:   Interreligious, coalition, smoking, health, children,
          FDA, Harvey
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

Contact:  Joretta Purdue                          429(10-71){3143}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722           Aug. 27, 1996

EDITORS: This story may be used as a sidebar to UMNS release #428
{3142} on the new rules restricting tobacco marketing aimed at
children and teens.

Interreligious Coalition praises
new tobacco rules to protect children

     WASHINGTON (UMNS) -- The Interreligious Coalition on Smoking
OR Health praised the regulation of tobacco marketing aimed at
children and youth here Aug. 23.
     In a statement issued the same day the President announced
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules, the coalition said
it "supports the FDA's efforts to help families counteract the
effect of tobacco advertising targeted at their children."
     The coalition includes Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and
Muslim organizations. Jane Hull Harvey, an assistant general
secretary of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, is
co-chair of the coalition.
     "Our religious traditions are committed to telling the
truth," the coalition announced. "Youngsters and their families
deserve to be told the truth: Nicotine is a drug -- one of the
most addictive and lethal in the world -- and cigarettes and
cigars are powerful drug-delivery devices."
     The statement continues, reporting that tobacco contributes
to 60 times the number of deaths attributed to crack cocaine and
heroin combined. It adds that research shows young children who
begin using tobacco are much more likely than others to move on to
using these illegal drugs.
     "Our religious traditions regard life as a divine gift," the
coalition declared. Its statement adds that tobacco annually kills
more than 10 times the number of people who die from gunshot
wounds and more than 10 times the number who die from AIDS.

SEARCH:   Interreligious, coalition, smoking, health, children,
          FDA, Harvey
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

Contact:  Joretta Purdue                          429(10-71){3143}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722           Aug. 27, 1996

EDITORS: This story may be used as a sidebar to UMNS release #428
{3142} on the new rules restricting tobacco marketing aimed at
children and teens.

Interreligious Coalition praises
new tobacco rules to protect children

     WASHINGTON (UMNS) -- The Interreligious Coalition on Smoking
OR Health praised the regulation of tobacco marketing aimed at
children and youth here Aug. 23.
     In a statement issued the same day the President announced
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules, the coalition said
it "supports the FDA's efforts to help families counteract the
effect of tobacco advertising targeted at their children."
     The coalition includes Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and
Muslim organizations. Jane Hull Harvey, an assistant general
secretary of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, is
co-chair of the coalition.
     "Our religious traditions are committed to telling the
truth," the coalition announced. "Youngsters and their families
deserve to be told the truth: Nicotine is a drug -- one of the
most addictive and lethal in the world -- and cigarettes and
cigars are powerful drug-delivery devices."
     The statement continues, reporting that tobacco contributes
to 60 times the number of deaths attributed to crack cocaine and
heroin combined. It adds that research shows young children who
begin using tobacco are much more likely than others to move on to
using these illegal drugs.
     "Our religious traditions regard life as a divine gift," the
coalition declared. Its statement adds that tobacco annually kills
more than 10 times the number of people who die from gunshot
wounds and more than 10 times the number who die from AIDS.
     The Interreligious Coalition supports regulation of tobacco,
not prohibition, the statement says. It concludes, "Food and
aspirin are regulated. It's time the FDA also regulates America's
most lethal drug."
                              #  #  #

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