June 2009 Press ReleaseAMERICAN COLLEGE OF CHEST PHYSICIANS ATTENDS WHITE HOUSE BILL SIGNING FOR NEW TOBACCO CONTROL LAW(NORTHBROOK, IL, June 22, 2009) The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) applauds President Barack Obama and his administration for signing the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, granting the US Food and Drug Administration meaningful authority to regulate tobacco products. “The passing of legislation to regulate tobacco in the United States has been long overdue,” said James A. L. Mathers, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. “We are honored to have played a role in this historical occasion through our consistent advocacy efforts and close collaboration with Congressional leaders and organizations that support tobacco prevention.” President Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law today in the White House garden. The event was attended by key members of Congress and organizations actively involved in tobacco control. ACCP received a special invitation to the bill signing, which was attended by Irwin Berlin, MD, FCCP, Chair of the ACCP Government Relations Committee. The new law represents the strongest legislation the US government has ever passed to reduce tobacco use, the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. President Obama pledged his full support of the bill on June 12, the day that the US Senate and US House passed the legislation with overwhelming margins, underscoring the strong bipartisan consensus and the unwavering determination of leaders on both sides. The ACCP also acknowledges and congratulates the members of the US House and US Senate for making this legislation a priority, including Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), bill sponsor in the House; Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), bill sponsor in the Senate; and the many representatives and senators who have played a leadership role, including Senator Christopher Dodd, Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senator Richard Durbin, Senator Tom Harkin, For nearly 50 years, the ACCP has been an ardent supporter of tobacco control and reduction policies, as well as the premier physician voice in public health policy debates around tobacco. The ACCP has worked with our nation’s leaders, including Senator Durbin, when he served in the US House and US Senate; Senator Edward Kennedy; as well as other members of Congress, to support tobacco control legislation, including the smoking ban on all domestic flights and the increase of federal excise tax on tobacco. The ACCP would like to thank the many groups and individuals who helped make this momentous occasion possible, including the members of the ACCP who dedicated countless hours advocating for tobacco control; the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; many other organizations that joined with the ACCP on tobacco-prevention initiatives; and ACCP advocacy consultants Holland & Knight. To learn more about ACCP advocacy issues and initiatives, please visit our Advocacy Center.Media Contact:
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