134 



So I would urge that we get on with it and get to the bottom of 

 the facts and the charges and consider what constructive action 

 may be necessary and move ahead. And I thank the Chair and 

 yield back the balance of my time. 



Mr. Waxman. Thank you, Mr. McMillan. 



Mr. Wyden. 



Mr. Wyden. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and let me also say, Mr. 

 Sandefur, we appreciate your being here, and the staff has reported 

 that you and the company have been very forthcoming with respect 

 to giving us the documents that we need and I appreciate that. 



I am going to be very brief, and let me start, Mr. Sandefur, by 

 saying that if one believes the reports of the U.S. Surgeon General, 

 as a tobacco company CEO, you have your hands on the controls 

 of an addiction machine. 



Apparently, from news reports, several executives at your own 

 company have thought exactly the same way as long ago as the 

 1960's. As you know. Dr. David Kessler came to the committee here 

 a couple of days ago, essentially said the same thing, updated us 

 on these very serious matters. 



So what I am interested in today especially are two substantive 

 areas. One would be any new evidence that you could give us that 

 would contradict what the Surgeon General has said, what your 

 own executives seem to have said in the 1960's, and finally what 

 Dr. Kessler said even a couple of days ago. 



And second what I would be interested in today, Mr. Sandefur, 

 is talking about sensible regulation of cigarettes and how we are 

 particularly going to ensure that young people in this country don't 

 get started smoking. That's what this debate is all about for most 

 of us. That's what this fight is all about. 



I can tell you, with all due respect, I don't know of a member of 

 this committee who thinks that we ought to ban or prohibit ciga- 

 rettes, but all of us feel that there must be a significantly more ag- 

 gressive effort to keep young people from smoking, and I'll be ex- 

 ploring that with you as well this morning. And, again, we appre- 

 ciate your cooperation. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Waxman. Thank you, Mr. Wyden. 



Mr. Bilirakis. 



Mr. Bilirakis. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Sandefur, I too add my welcome. And I also welcome, I might 

 add, your courage and your willingness to cooperate with what we 

 are trying to do, whatever it is up here. 



Let me begin by saying I am not here to promote cigarette smok- 

 ing. I have never been a smoker, and none of my family members 

 use tobacco products. Probably one of the reasons I never smoked 

 was because, when I was a child, everyone told me that smoking 

 cigarettes wasn't good for me. 



Obviously, cigarette warning labels were not required when I 

 was growing up. Obviously, too, the public education campaign of 

 the last 3 decades has had an impact on the number of people who 

 choose to smoke. It should come as no great revelation that smok- 

 ing is not beneficial to your health. Most Americans have known 

 this for years. I daresay, all Americans who could read and write 



