Letter to Representative DeLayMarch 21, 2005 The Honorable Tom DeLay Dear Representative DeLay: We are writing to you as national leaders of America's faith communities to strongly urge you to support S.666, introduced by Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and H.R. 1376, introduced by Representatives Thomas Davis (R-VA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA), legislation requiring effective regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We believe that the most important thing you can do to reduce tobacco addiction would be to work for the enactment of strong legislation supported by the public health community to give the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products. We find it incredible that the FDA can ensure the safety of everyday items like macaroni and cheese, but has no authority over tobacco, a product that kills over 400,000 Americans every year. FDA oversight is especially needed to crack down on illegal sales of tobacco products to children and to restrict advertising and marketing that appeal to children. The tobacco industry is aggressively marketing a new generation of products with unproven claims that they are less harmful. This continued deception of consumers makes ever more urgent the need for FDA restrictions on advertising and marketing to children, such as the manufacture and sale of candy-flavored cigarettes, such as Twista Lime, Strawberry Liquid Zoo and Caribbean Chill. The faith community spends too much time burying mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers who die because they became addicted to tobacco products when they were young. We know all too well that the tobacco companies continue to spend billions of dollars to addict people to this deadly product. We also know that the federal government can reduce the staggering addiction rate, particularly among vulnerable children, by fully regulating tobacco products. For our children's sake, we urge you to do so. We would be grateful to know your position on this issue. We would also very much appreciate the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience to discuss how we can work together to protect our children from the horrors of tobacco addiction. Respectfully, James Winkler, General Secretary Sarah Ward, President Dr. DeWitt Williams, Director Karen Vagley, Director Julie Taylor, Executive Secretary for Children, Youth and Family Advocacy Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, Secretary General Curtis Ramsey-Lucas, National Coordinator, Public and Social Advocacy Reverend Deborah L. Patterson, Executive Director Dr. Richard D. Land, President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Phillip Jones, Director, Brethren Witness/Washington Office Reverend Elenora Giddings Ivory, Director Noemi M. Fuentes, Program Associate, Program on Substance Abuse and Related Violence (SPSARV) Reverend Bob Edgar, General Secretary Reverend Kaye Edwards, Director of Family and Children's Ministries Disciples Home Missions Reverend Michael H. Crosby, OFMCap., Coordinator Tobacco Program Patricia G. Burkhardt, Legislative Officer Roy Branson, Co-Chair Barbara Baylor, M.P.H. Sharon Adkins, President |