Until Congress grants the FDA this authority, the tobacco companies will be free to continue to spend billions of dollars marketing their deadly products to children. Moreover, the evidence about the tobacco industry’s misdeeds and the harm caused by this unregulated product keeps mounting. On August 17, 2006, federal Judge Gladys Kessler found the major tobacco companies to be racketeers who have lied – and continue to lie – to the American people about the health risks of their products and their marketing to children. Then, on the heels of this court decision, a report by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health found that tobacco companies have secretly and significantly increased the levels of nicotine in cigarette smoke between 1998 and 2004.

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. Unless we grant the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products, they will continue to mislead consumers and discourage smokers from quitting by making unproven claims that some tobacco products are safer than others. And they will continue to hide the truth about the dangers of their products and fail to take even the most minimal steps to reduce the number of Americans who die from tobacco use.

Legislation is on the docket in Kansas regarding this important issue. I would ask that each of you go to the website sited below and sign your names. Parish nursing is about prevention --- and we need to begin with our precious children! Please join me in this effort. Encourage your church families to join us also. This message will save lives. In advance I thank you!

www.kansasfaithunitedagainsttobacco.org,