167 



Mr. Synar. I hope that you get a tape of this so that you can 

 watch it. 



Mr. Raffle. It is a behavior, Mr. Synar. 



Mr. Synar. Mr. Ballin, the Tobacco Institute has claimed that 

 the bill that I have introduced, a number of the associations that 

 you represent support — singles out tobacco products which are, 

 quote, already highly regulated and therefore it would be punitive 

 treatment of this product. How do you respond to that? 



Mr. Ballin. I think tobacco products have already been singled 

 out for special treatment. They are the only products that are ex- 

 empt from Federal regulation in the way they are manufactured, 

 sold, labeled, advertised and promoted. And for the industry to 

 claim that they, in fact, are overregulated, I think does a disservice 

 to the public health's interest. 



Mr. Synar. Thank you. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Waxman. Thank you, Mr. Synar. 



Dr. Raffle, maybe I should ask this question of you. 



I recently received a copy of a letter sent to the Tobacco Institute 

 last month following the Institute's denial that nicotine was addict- 

 ing. The letter was sent by a Pat McGlothlin of Hollywood, Fla.; 

 and I don't know whether the Institute even responded to Ms. 

 McGlothlin or not, but I would like you to respond to her today. 



She writes, quote: "I must comment on your statement that ciga- 

 rettes are not addictive. Let me tell you about my father's death 

 from emphysema. His death was not the bad part. His life was the 

 real horror story. My earliest childhood memories include hearing 

 my dad's persistent, constant, hacking cough, watching him contin- 

 ually spit up phlegm into a coffee can which he had by his side 24 

 hours a day. 



"I also remember my dad being in the hospital once or twice each 

 year for a lengthy stay while his lungs were being pumped of the 

 poisons from nicotine. 



"My most vivid memories were my dad's unforgettable words of 

 despair. Not one day went by when he didn't say, 'I know these 

 damn cigarettes are killing me, but I can't quit.' I remember his 

 being under the oxygen tent begging for a cigarette. Does this 

 sound like a pleasurable, nonaddicting hobby or a disgiisting, ad- 

 dicting disease? Do you think a person would choose this lifestyle? 



"My dad never got the chance to meet his three grandchildren, 

 and he died with a cigarette in his hand. It is too late for my dad, 

 but please be honest for the sake of our young people today who 

 still have a chance to just say no to this harmful drug callea nico- 

 tine," end quote. 



How would you respond to Pat McGlothlin, Hollywood, Fla? 



Mr. Raffle. I would first express my condolences to her. I would 

 then explain to her that a person who is smoking, such as her fa- 

 ther, had the capability of stopping if he believed he could stop and 

 if he wanted to stop and if someone didn't tell him that he was ad- 

 dicted to cigarettes. 



Mr. Waxman. You mean someone told him he was addicted and 

 therefore he believed it? 



Mr. Raffle. I think that is a component, and that is really the 

 reason I am here today. I don't want you to put an addiction label 



