Protect the Truth - News Room

Statement of
Hon. Louis W. Sullivan, M.D.
President Emeritus, Morehouse School of Medicine
Secretary of Health and Human Services, 1989-1993

Press Conference announcing
The Citizens' Commission to Protect the Truth
National Press Club, Washington, D.C.
March 16, 2004

We are here today to launch the Citizens' Commission To Protect the Truth. For the first time in our nation's history, every former U.S. Secretary of Health, Surgeon General and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have joined together in a common cause. Our mission is to mobilize a million Americans to urge the tobacco companies to continue funding the truth® campaign of the American Legacy Foundation. Truth® has been the most successful media effort ever conducted to reduce teen smoking.

Ending smoking by American children and teens is crucial to the health of our nation. As a physician, as dean and president of a medical school and as a public official, I have seen the savage personal and economic costs of smoking. I have learned that the most effective way to bring this tragedy to an end is to eliminate smoking by our youth.

I am proud of the progress that we have made to keep kids from smoking. But I am mindful that I can walk on the street outside most any middle or high school and I will have no trouble finding boys and girls with cigarettes in their backpacks.

We must change that. And that is why we have formed this Commission to save the American Legacy Foundation's truth® campaign--the most effective media campaign to reduce teen smoking.

In 1992, when I was the Secretary of Health and Human Services, upon my urging, the federal government passed legislation that restricted the sale of tobacco to minors. Today, twelve years later, 4,000 children still try a cigarette every day. Two thousand of them will get hooked. This means that in this year alone, there will be nearly 800,000 new youth smokers.

Yes, we have laws that make it illegal to sell cigarettes to kids. Yes, it is illegal to market cigarettes to kids. But they can still get them, and they do.

Wouldn't it be better if kids simply rejected cigarettes? Of course. That is why the truth® campaign focuses on building an America where children and teens learn to reject tobacco.

The tobacco companies say they do not want teens to smoke. Then, they should fund the truth® campaign because it is the most effective media campaign to reduce teen smoking. I wholeheartedly join my fellow Commission members and partnering organizations to urge the tobacco companies to continue to help American Legacy tell our children and teens the truth.




	Statement of Hon. Louis W. Sullivan, M.D. President Emeritus, Morehouse School of Medicine Secretary of Health and Human Services, 1989-1993 Press Conference announcing The Citizens' Commission to Protect the Truth National Press Club, Washington, D.C. March 16, 2004 Good morning. We are here today to launch the Citizens' Commission To Protect the Truth. For the first time in our nation's history, every former U.S. Secretary of Health, Surgeon General and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have joined together in a common cause. Our mission is to mobilize a million Americans to urge the tobacco companies to continue funding the truth® campaign of the American Legacy Foundation. Truth® has been the most successful media effort ever conducted to reduce teen smoking. Ending smoking by American children and teens is crucial to the health of our nation. As a physician, as dean and president of a medical school and as a public official, I have seen the savage personal and economic costs of smoking. I have learned that the most effective way to bring this tragedy to an end is to eliminate smoking by our youth. I am proud of the progress that we have made to keep kids from smoking. But I am mindful that I can walk on the street outside most any middle or high school and I will have no trouble finding boys and girls with cigarettes in their backpacks. We must change that. And that is why we have formed this Commission to save the American Legacy Foundation's truth® campaign--the most effective media campaign to reduce teen smoking. In 1992, when I was the Secretary of Health and Human Services, upon my urging, the federal government passed legislation that restricted the sale of tobacco to minors. Today, twelve years later, 4,000 children still try a cigarette every day. Two thousand of them will get hooked. This means that in this year alone, there will be nearly 800,000 new youth smokers. Yes, we have laws that make it illegal to sell cigarettes to kids. Yes, it is illegal to market cigarettes to kids. But they can still get them, and they do. Wouldn't it be better if kids simply rejected cigarettes? Of course. That is why the truth® campaign focuses on building an America where children and teens learn to reject tobacco. The tobacco companies say they do not want teens to smoke. Then, they should fund the truth® campaign because it is the most effective media campaign to reduce teen smoking. I wholeheartedly join my fellow Commission members and partnering organizations to urge the tobacco companies to continue to help American Legacy tell our children and teens the truth.
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