535 



SnOBMENT OF TOE HCNDRABLE IKWARD CDBIiE 

 Subcotmittee on Health and the Environment 

 House Energy and Conmerce Cotmittee 

 i^ril 14, 1994 



Thank you, Mr. Chainnan. I appreciate the c^portunity to share m/ 

 views vdth the menters of the Subcamdttee today. 



My congressional district is one in v*iich tcbacco farming has been and 

 still ranains a vital part of the state and local ecanomy. The Sixth District 

 mirrors many regions in North C&rolina in this regarxi, particularly those 

 areas vAiich are rural and less affluent. 



I am sanevAiat surprised by the tone and content of this debate, as if 

 the issue were novel. Cigarette ccrrpanies have not suddenly altered their 

 manufactxaring processes or just started to use these ingredients. Similarly, 

 there has been no change to federal food and drug law that would require the 

 FDA to rethink its longstanding and well -reasoned position on cigarettes. In 

 addition, nothing is new about the anti-smaking groups petitioning the EDA to 

 regulate tobacco as a drug. These groups have done this for decades, and the 

 EDA, with the approval of the courts, has denied these petitions for decades 

 as well. 



Dr. Kessler has suggested that he believes there may be a middle ground. 

 As I understand his position, it might be possible for cigarettes containing 

 low levels of nicotine or no nicotine at all to ranain on the market vMle all 

 other tcbacco products are banned. This is the same tact the Anti-Salocn 

 League used in the 1920 's. First, it persuaded Congress to prohibit 

 interstate shipments of liquor to "dry" states and territories. It then 



