70 



Let me go to the broader question because, under the law as 

 presently written, it is fair to say that the tools available to the 

 Agency are relatively crude. We can decide it is a drug. We can 

 look at different levels, but they are relatively crude tools to look 

 at nicotine in cigarettes. 



I believe that if I were sitting where vou are sitting, what I 

 would focus on and I would ask myself tnis question, how can I 

 prevent the next generation of teenagers or at least some in the 

 next generation of teenagers who are going to decide, for whatever 

 reason, to start their first cigarette, how can we reduce the num- 

 bers of them who are going to get addicted to cigarettes? Prohibi- 

 tion does not work. 



Mr. Greenwood. Let me interrupt you. I think that is a good 

 policy question, and I think that question is probably largely an- 

 swered by saying that programs in schools that my little girls have 

 been exposed to are very clear about that. We have all sorts of pub- 

 lic service announcements, role models, and certainly the role of 

 the parents is first and foremost. 



The question is: What is your agency's role, and if you were me, 

 you would probably ask the head of the FDA what do you want? 

 What responsibility do you want in this process? What do you 

 think would be good public policy in terms oi the FDA's role? 



Mr. Kessler. I believe steps that would reduce the risk of a 

 teenager from becoming a 



Mr. Greenwood. Let's be more specific. How do you do that? 



Mr, Kessler. The current cigarette 



Mr. Greenwood. You get the authority, then the tobacco compa- 

 nies have to bring their product to you, and you have to say some- 

 thing about it. 



Mr. Kessler. There are many things that could be considered. 

 One, you can consider restricting access even further. Two, you can 

 consider looking at nicotine levels, the current cigarette has mul- 

 tiples as far as amounts of nicotine that will create and sustain an 

 aadiction. 



Wouldn't it be great if a teenager who is going to smoke a couple 

 of cigarettes didn't get hooked on that nicotine by the amount of 

 nicotine in that cigarette. It is a very difficult question because, ob- 

 viously, we have 40, 50 million smokers. 



Mr. Greenwood. We give you the authority, and you could limit 

 the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, and then the cigarette compa- 

 nies could go into Sports Illustrated and advertise that Dr. Kessler 

 says, "This cigarette won't get you addicted." Smoke it. 



Mr. Kessler. Congressman, you could also restrict the advertis- 

 ing in the magazines. There are many things that could be done. 

 What I would focus on is how do we reduce the demand for ciga- 

 rettes and the way to do that- 



Mr. Greenwood. I have a hard time imagining 



Mr. Kessler [continuing], is to reduce the number of people who 

 are going to become addicted. 



Mr. Greenwood. I agree with that, and I want to see it happen. 

 I just don't see what the chemists at the FDA have to do with it. 

 If it is a pharmacological product that is FDA approved, your job 

 is to say, yes, this has the right dosage to cure what ails you. It 

 is not too high, won't have these side effects; not too low, won't be 



