250 



take steps to make sure that at least we have minimized that risk 

 to what might be arguably acceptable levels. 



Mr. Sandefur. I think that's a decision you as a United States 

 Congressman have to make, yes. And I agree with your responsibil- 

 ity in that area. I have no concern about that. And I think this 

 committee is going about it the right way, trying to get the infor- 

 mation you need to make those intelligent decisions. 



My only caution here is that there is a way of going about it that 

 will in fact give you the effect that you want to accomplish. And 

 I would submit to you that those rules and laws are already in 

 place. I truly believe that. 



We see consumption in the United States declining anywhere 

 from 2.5, 3.5 percent a year. We know that people, 40 million peo- 

 ple have quit smoking. Many people have decided to smoke, made 

 the choice to smoke, and then decided to quit and were able to do 

 it. 



Mr. Waxman. Would the gentleman yield to me? 



Mr. Kreidler. Surely. 



Mr. Waxman. You seem to say that there is an increased risk if 

 you smoke from dying from these diseases, you say it is an in- 

 creased risk in conjunction perhaps with other factors, but is that 

 your testimony? 



Mr. Sandefur. I've testified that I believe there is a statistical 

 association with smoking, yes. 



Mr. Waxman. How much of an increased risk is there for some- 

 one 



Mr. Sandefur. I can't quantify that, Mr. Chairman. I don't — I 

 don't know. 



Mr. Waxman. I guess what bothers me 



Mr. Sandefur. You see, that's what — excuse me, I'm sorry. 



Mr. Waxman. I guess what bothers me is you say the laws on 

 the books are doing fine and people are starting to give up smok- 

 ing, but I think if, as a manufacturer of a product that may have 

 a higher risk than you are willing to admit, such as what all the 

 Surgeon Generals and all the American Medical Association, World 

 Health Organization and all the medical and scientific groups say 

 is the case, if you looked at their reports, and reached the same 

 conclusion, I think, would that make you want to do something 

 more than leave things as they are? 



Mr. Sandefur. If I was convinced that more needed to be done, 

 yes, I would — as I said earlier, and I'm willing to meet with you, 

 and Congressman Bliley, I think, wants to be there, to talk about 

 it, what do we as an industry need to do? But I would — if anything, 

 but I would submit to you that the regulatory bodies that the U.S. 

 Government has in place are certainly capable of administering 

 anjrthing new that we need to do, if in fact we need to do anything 

 new. 



Mr. Waxman. I'm going to yield back to Mr. Kreidler. 



Mr. Kreidler. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Perhaps you will 

 argue with these standards and perhaps you would like to explain 

 why. I mean, the numbers are something like 400,000 people annu- 

 ally die in association with cigarette smoking, tobacco use. That's 

 eight times more than what we lose on our highways each year, 

 and more than that was killed in all of World War II. 



