354 



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exaggeration to suggest that repeal of the preemption provision of the Federal 

 Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act would be purely punitive. 



WARNINGS 



H.R. 2147 would replace the carbon monoxide warning currently required by 

 the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act with an addiction warning. 

 Tobacco products also would be required to carry "a warning and information about 

 the dangers associated with environmental tobacco smoke." For the reasons that we 

 have stated in connection with previous warning legislation, and for the reasons stated 

 in Dr. Raffle's testimony today, these new warning requirements are unwarranted. 

 FEDERAL TOBACCO POUCE FORCE 



H.R. 2147 would give HHS inappropriate responsibility for enforcing an 18- 

 year-old federal minimum sales age for tobacco products. Forty-seven states prohibit 

 the sale or distribution of tobacco products to persons under 18 and three states 

 prohibit sale or distribution to persons under 19. The responsibility for enforcing such 

 prohibitions properly rests with the states, not the federal government. We are not 

 aware that the states consider themselves incapable of enforcing their own laws in this 

 regard or have asked the federal government to assume responsibility in this area. A 

 federal police force is not needed to ensure that tobacco products are not sold or 

 distributed to minors. 



