Faith and public health leaders from Nevada will hold a press conference on March 9 in Reno to call on Nevada Senators Harry Reid, John Ensign and the entire Nevada Congressional Delegation to support legislation that would grant the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over tobacco products. The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the bill this week and a full House vote is expected in the coming weeks. Senate Majority Leader Reid was a cosponsor of the bill in the last session of Congress, Senator Ensign was not.
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The faith leaders will highlight a recent report about the tobacco industry's new aggressive marketing campaigns aimed at women and girls. The report shows, while overall cancer death rates are decreasing for both men and women, lung cancer death rates have yet to decline for women. Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of women, having surpassed breast cancer in 1987, and smoking puts women and girls at greater risk of a wide range of deadly diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, emphysema and numerous cancers.
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The legislation would give FDA the authority to crack down on tobacco marketing and sales to kids, stop tobacco companies from misleading the public about the health risks of their products and allow the FDA to make changes in these products. Unbelievably, despite being the most deadly product sold in America, tobacco products are exempt from basic health regulations that apply to other products we consume, such as food and drugs. The FDA regulates a box of macaroni and cheese and a tube of lipstick, but not a pack of cigarettes.
WHAT: Faith leaders' press conference calling for legislation to give the FDA authority over tobacco products to protect children and save lives
WHO: Bishop Gene Savoy, President, Nevada Clergy Association
Rabbi Myra Soifer, Temple Sinai
Brother Matthew Cunningham, Catholic Diocese of Reno
Vinny DeMarco, Coordinator, Faith United Against Tobacco
WHERE: International Community of Christ
643 Ralston Street
Reno, NV
WHEN: Monday, March 9, 2009
11 a.m.
CONTACT: Nicole Dueffert of Faith United Against Tobacco, +1-202-296-5469
/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- March 6/
SOURCE Faith United Against Tobacco
