|
|
Tobacco country cries 'politics' over Clinton's plan
But others call it good beginning
August 22, 1996
Web posted at: 1:45 p.m. EDT
(CNN) -- Tobacco industry workers and some elected officials from tobacco-growing states reacted critically Thursday to President Clinton's plan to declare tobacco an addictive drug in an attempt to curb smoking by young people. Supporters praised the plan -- first proposed by the Food and Drug Administration -- as "a good beginning."
"It's a mistake ... I'll fight it," vowed North Carolina
Governor James Hunt, a Democrat. (311K AIFF or WAV sound)
Tobacco companies filed suit last year challenging the FDA's right to regulate tobacco. That suit is pending. Although no announcement has been made, the industry is also likely to file another suit to block imposition of new restrictions on tobacco sales and advertising.
 | "There's not a single business in this county that doesn't count on tobacco income." |
No one wants to see children smoking cigarettes, but government regulation is not needed, tobacco warehouse owner Jack Ford told CNN during a live interview from Louisburg, North Carolina. (238K AIFF or WAV sound)
On Friday, Clinton is expected to sign an order allowing the FDA to regulate the advertising and availability of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, a move that "could be devastating to the local economy," Ford said. "There's not a single business in this county that doesn't count on tobacco income."
Politics of tobacco
Ford said he agrees with an observation once made by Bob Dole, the newly nominated Republican president candidate, that cigarettes are probably addictive for some people but not for others. "Just like alcohol," Ford said.A statement from the Dole campaign charges that the Clinton crackdown on tobacco is an "election-year gimmick" to divert attention from "Clinton's abject failure" in the drug war. A report this week found that teen-agers' use of drugs has shot up since Clinton took office.
Dole-Kemp campaign statement:
"... Bob Dole supports restrictions on teen smoking. However, given that lawsuits are already pending ... (the Clinton) announcement is purely an election year gimmick ... "
The Clinton-Gore campaign denied the charge. "The FDA sent over their recommendations last week, before those (drug use) numbers came out," said spokesman Joe Lockhart. If Republicans held the White House "they would do nothing (about tobacco) for fear of being sued," he said.
Proposals to severely limit cigarette advertising and ban vending machine sales of cigarettes would be "a good beginning," former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop said Thursday.
Antonio Novello, a Surgeon General in the Bush
administration, praised any effort to get teen-agers "away
from this habit." (268K AIFF or WAV sound) But "don't preach, tell them the truth."
In a live telephone interview, Rep. Scotty Baesler, D- Kentucky, told CNN youth smoking should be regulated, but he questioned the timing of the announcement. "We have the ability to (curb illegal teen-age smoking) under existing legislation."
Louisville, Kentucky reacts to anti-smoking proposal
| Yes | No |
|
|
| (161K AIFF or WAV sound) | (210K AIFF or WAV sound) |
"The president is trying to do this right before the Democratic convention, which I think is obvious. Number two, I think basically he's looking around and trying to count where the votes are and saying there are more outside tobacco country than inside." Baesler said.
Republican Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina agreed. "The president is writing off (tobacco growing states). I don't think he was going to win them anyhow so he has nothing to lose and he's being punitive about it."
Clinton's decision is "at the expense of Kentucky tobacco farmers and I'm offended by it," charged Baesler, a tobacco farmer and a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
One such farmer, Paul Hornback of Louisville, said he and
other tobacco growers feel current laws against teen smoking
are sufficient to stop it. (333K AIFF or WAV sound) Cigarette-producers who can buy tobacco from around the world won't
feel the same impact as domestic growers, Hornback said.
"The small tobacco farmer (in the U.S.) is the one who's
going to get hurt," he complained.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
|
Tell us what you think! You said it... |
|
|
© 1996 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.