169 



Mr. Synar. Is it an active ingredient, Dr. Spears? 



Mr. Spears. Active in what sense? 



Mr. Synar. In the sense that you put it back in after you have 

 taken some of it out? 



Mr. Spears. Only in what I have described to you previously in 

 my statement. 



Mr. Synar. What I find hard to believe in this argument by the 

 industry is that nicotine is used for flavor. If that is the reason, 

 why don't you add a substitute flavor, if that is the reason, given 

 the serious problems of nicotine? 



Mr. Spears. I have already explained to you that tobacco is 

 grown and it has varjdng levels of nicotine depending on where in 

 the stock it is harvested from and the different grades. People pur- 

 chase tobacco by grade. The grades are set. 



Mr. Synar. Dr. Spears, do you like being here and having to an- 

 swer these questions? 



Mr. Spears. I don't mind. 



Mr. Synar. You know, we wouldn't have to be here if you would 

 just take the nicotine out of the product, if it is just flavor. We 

 could get this issue over real quick. Why don't you do that and end 

 the controversy? 



Mr. Spears. Why should we take the nicotine out of product? It 

 is integral to the product. 



Mr. Synar. Yes, it is. As we learned today, it is hooking Ameri- 

 cans. Thank you, I think that is a good conclusion. 



Mr. Waxman. Thank you all for your testimony. We have gone 

 over this issue, and we are going to continue to go over this issue; 

 and I hope we will get some people who will come here and give 

 us very specific answers from the companies themselves, particu- 

 larly from that company, that we will find out about, who did that 

 report. 



We stand adjourned. 



[Whereupon, at 1:25 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned, to 

 reconvene at the call of the Chair.] 



[The following statements were submitted:] 



