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American Heart Office of Public Advocacy 1150 Connecticut Avenue Northwest Suite 810 Washington. DC 20036 Association Tel 202 822 9380 Fighting Hoan Disease Fax 202 822 9883 and Stroke http://www.americanheart.org For Release: Contact: July 15, 1997 Trish Moreis (202) 822-9380 11:00 a.m. ET Robyn Landry (202) 872-4240 THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION CALLS TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROPOSAL ONE STEP IDENTIFIES AREAS OF CONCERN Washington, DC -- The American Heart Association announced today its response to the proposed settlement document drafted by the state attorneys general and the tobacco industry. According to Martha Hill. RN, Ph.D., FAAN, president, American Heart Association, "The proposed settlement document includes a comprehensive set of provisions that the public health community could not have thought possible just months ago. The proposed settlement is not perfect. Nor can it be thought of as a total solution to the death and disease caused by tobacco. But it could serve as a significant instrument to help reduce tobacco use." Edward F. Hines. Jr., Esq., chair-elect, American Heart Association, led the association's 19-member task force that conducted the review of the proposal. "The AHA believes that the horrendous impact of tobacco use on the health of all people must be dealt with through multiple approaches. These include education; regulatory, legislative and judicial action: accountability by the tobacco industry; and individual responsibility," said Hines. "The proposed settlement document is quite complex and will require legislative and regulatory action to implement and enforce many of its elements. The AHA has identified a number of areas of concern related to the proposal, and these concerns will guide our actions as the proposal moves forward," added Hines. The concerns identified in the AHA's review of the proposal include FDA regulation of tobacco, penalties to the tobacco industry, bankruptcy, education, disclosure of industry documents, preemption, and immunity. Additionally, the AHA believes there are other crucial issues related to tobacco control that must be addressed. They include international marketing of tobacco products, tobacco excise taxes, and tobacco farm issues. -more-