The final Report of the President's Commission asks that Congress and the President take the following actions:

• Adopt a tobacco equity reduction program to fairly compensate quota owners and growers for the loss in value of their quota assets;

• Initiate a major restructuring of the federal tobacco control program to address changing economic and public health realities;

• Establish a Center for Tobacco-Dependent Communities to address the economic development challenges and opportunities that tobacco-producing communities face;

• Provide fair and effective regulatory authority over the manufacture, sale, distribution, labeling and marketing of tobacco products by the FDA; and

• Ensure adequate funding for tobacco prevention and control programs by the states as suggested by the Surgeon General of the United States in the August 2000 report, including coverage under Medicare and Medicaid programs for smoking cessation.

 

As of August 28, 2001, the following organizations have formally endorsed the Report:

Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative	North Carolina Tobacco Growers Association
American Heart Association	Tobacco Growers Assocation of Georgia
American Cancer Society	National Tobacco Growers Assocation
Flue-Cured Stabilization Cooperative	National Farmers Union
Concerned Friends for Tobacco	Florida Tobacco Growers Association
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids	Kentucky Action (AHA, ALA, ACS)
New Jersey Society for Public Health Education	Charlottesville/Albemarle Unit American Cancer Society (Virginia)
Halifax County Board of Supervisors (Virginia)	Rural Advancement Foundation International
South Carolina Tobacco Growers Association	Coalition for Health and Agriculture Development

 

For further information, please contact:

The Tobacco Commission at USDA/FSA/TPD

Stop 0514

1400 Independence Ave.

SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-0514

Tel: (202) 720-9106