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CITIZENS' COMMISSION OF FORMER TOP HEALTH OFFICIALS ASKS FEDERAL COURT TO ORDER TOBACCO COMPANIES TO FUND INDEPENDENT ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 25, 2005 - The Citizens' Commission to Protect the Truth - the first ever assembly of all living former U.S. Secretaries of Health, Education, and Welfare; U.S. Secretaries of Health and Human Services; U.S. Surgeons General; and Directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from every administration, Republican and Democrat, dating back to the Johnson Administration - yesterday afternoon submitted an amicus brief to the federal district court in Washington, D.C. hearing the government's RICO case against the tobacco companies. This bi-partisan Commission asked the court to order the major tobacco companies to fund an independent public education and smoking-prevention campaign directed at children and teens.

On February 4, 2005, the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the government could not require the tobacco companies to turn over $280 billion in profits, but left open the option of pursuing forward-looking remedies. The lower court judge then asked the government and the tobacco companies to submit briefs relating to such remedies.

The Commission's brief asks the Court to require the tobacco manufacturers to fund the American Legacy Foundation's truth® campaign, an independent public education and smoking-prevention campaign that has been proven to keep children and teens from smoking. The filing of the brief in this case, United States v. Philip Morris et. al., is the first time that the Commission has asked a federal court to earmark funds to prevent smoking by children and teens.

truth® is the largest national youth smoking prevention campaign in the nation and has helped reduce smoking by children and teenagers. A peer-reviewed article from the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health credits truth® with reducing the number of children and teen smokers by 300,000 from 2000 to 2002. "The truth® anti-smoking campaign is proven effective," the Commission states in its brief. "One third of youth smokers will die as a result of tobacco use; 300,000 fewer smokers therefore results in 100,000 fewer premature deaths. Furthermore, because 90% of adult smokers began smoking as teenagers, most youth who reject cigarettes are virtually certain never to smoke. Adult smokers account for almost $3,400 each in annual health care costs and lost productivity. Thus, by keeping 300,000 children and teenagers from being smokers, truth® will save $1 billion in health care costs a year."

The Citizens' Commission to Protect the Truth was formed in 2004 to shine a spotlight on the continued need to fund truth® and to require the major tobacco companies to continue financing the truth® campaign.

The Commission is represented in this matter by Dewey Ballantine LLP, which volunteers pro bono services to the Commission.




	CITIZENS' COMMISSION OF FORMER TOP HEALTH OFFICIALS ASKS FEDERAL COURT TO ORDER TOBACCO COMPANIES TO FUND INDEPENDENT ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS WASHINGTON, D.C., February 25, 2005 - The Citizens' Commission to Protect the Truth - the first ever assembly of all living former U.S. Secretaries of Health, Education, and Welfare; U.S. Secretaries of Health and Human Services; U.S. Surgeons General; and Directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from every administration, Republican and Democrat, dating back to the Johnson Administration - yesterday afternoon submitted an amicus brief to the federal district court in Washington, D.C. hearing the government's RICO case against the tobacco companies. This bi-partisan Commission asked the court to order the major tobacco companies to fund an independent public education and smoking-prevention campaign directed at children and teens. On February 4, 2005, the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the government could not require the tobacco companies to turn over $280 billion in profits, but left open the option of pursuing forward-looking remedies. The lower court judge then asked the government and the tobacco companies to submit briefs relating to such remedies. The Commission's brief asks the Court to require the tobacco manufacturers to fund the American Legacy Foundation's truth® campaign, an independent public education and smoking-prevention campaign that has been proven to keep children and teens from smoking. The filing of the brief in this case, United States v. Philip Morris et. al., is the first time that the Commission has asked a federal court to earmark funds to prevent smoking by children and teens. truth® is the largest national youth smoking prevention campaign in the nation and has helped reduce smoking by children and teenagers. A peer-reviewed article from the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health credits truth® with reducing the number of children and teen smokers by 300,000 from 2000 to 2002. "The truth® anti-smoking campaign is proven effective," the Commission states in its brief. "One third of youth smokers will die as a result of tobacco use; 300,000 fewer smokers therefore results in 100,000 fewer premature deaths. Furthermore, because 90% of adult smokers began smoking as teenagers, most youth who reject cigarettes are virtually certain never to smoke. Adult smokers account for almost $3,400 each in annual health care costs and lost productivity. Thus, by keeping 300,000 children and teenagers from being smokers, truth® will save $1 billion in health care costs a year." The Citizens' Commission to Protect the Truth was formed in 2004 to shine a spotlight on the continued need to fund truth® and to require the major tobacco companies to continue financing the truth® campaign. The Commission is represented in this matter by Dewey Ballantine LLP, which volunteers pro bono services to the Commission. Download the Amicus Brief Contact: Richard Mulieri, 212-841-5306, media@protectthetruth.org
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