USA: NEW RULES TO CLASSIFY NICOTINE AS AN ADDICTIVE DRUG скачать в хорошем качестве

USA: NEW RULES TO CLASSIFY NICOTINE AS AN ADDICTIVE DRUG

(22 Aug 1996) English/Nat President Clinton looks set to give his blessing to new rules classifying nicotine as an addictive drug. The long-anticipated move will officially give the U-S Food and Drug Administration unprecedented powers to regulate cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. The rules would also impose new restrictions on cigarette adverts and sales in a bid to curb smoking among teenagers. White House officials say the new rules on tobacco are needed to discourage teenage smokers in the United States. It is estimated that more than one (m) million American teenagers start smoking each year. Anti-smoking advocates say teenagers represent the fastest growing segment of cigarette smokers in the U-S. They see the move to label nicotine an addictive drug as a major victory against the multi-billion dollar tobacco industry. SOUNDBITE: "The one product that, because of the political cloud of the tobacco industry was never touched, either by Congress or by the FDA, was tobacco. So when we started seeing internal industry documents about what they knew about the products, and how they were controlling nicotine, how they were adding chemicals into the products, how they were controlling tar - that brought them under the FDA's purview." SUPER CAPTION: Scott Ballin, Coalition on Smoking or Health The new rules would give the Food and Drug Administration the unprecedented power to closely monitor cigarette advertising and distribution. And the rules would be backed by tough enforcement measures designed to punish retailers as well as tobacco companies. SOUNDBITE: "For example, if there were repeated violations occurring in a certain state, or in a certain city, or by a certain chain, convenience store chain, the commissioner of the FDA can issue a single letter, so he can start with that, that says you are out of compliance. If you do not come into compliance soon we will seize all of the products that you have on your shelves." SUPER CAPTION: Scott Ballin, Coalition on Smoking or Health The move is a long anticipated one by the White House, and it is already being heralded on the campaign trail as an issue the President can use against his Republican rival Bob Dole, who has publicly doubted whether nicotine is addictive. And White House officials are promising the tobacco issue will not be going away. SOUNDBITE: "I think it's obvious given the opposition to the president's action that is emerging from the Republican party and from the Republican presidential campaign, it is quite obvious that this will be an issue that will be before the American people." SUPER CAPTION: Mike McCurry, White House spokesman Dole campaign officials have accused the White House of playing politics with the tobacco issue. But officials are banking on Dole's general support for the tobacco industry hurting him as the campaign heats up. The industry itself is already reeling from a tough week on Wall Street, with tobacco stocks down sharply. Industry officials say the new F-D-A rules would be devastating for store owners, costing millions to implement and police, while they claim it would infringe on the rights of legal smokers. Anti-tobacco advocates say the industry is now under intense pressure to avoid a fight on the new ruling, largely due to the focus on teenage smokers. SOUNDBITE: SUPER CAPTION: Scott Ballin, Coalition on Smoking or Health But even supporters of the new ruling say it's only a small first step in fighting tobacco-related diseases in America, as the tobacco industry focuses on more aggressive sales efforts around the world. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...