MEDIA ADVISORY: 50TH ANNIVERSARY, SURGEON GENERAL REPORT
Friday, January 3, 2014
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 3, 2014
CONTACTS:
Peter Hamm, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 202-296-5469
Julia
Cartwright, Legacy®, 202-454-5596
Lauren Walens, American Cancer Society Cancer Action
Network, 202-661-5763
Retha Sherrod,
American Heart Association, 202-785-7929
Gregg Tubbs,
American Lung Association, 202-715-3469
Jamie Poslosky,
American Academy of Pediatrics, 202-724-3301
Bronson Frick,
Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, 510-841-3032
Public Health
Leaders to Mark 50th Anniversary
Of First Surgeon
General’s Report on Smoking and Health,
Call for Bold
Action to End the Tobacco Epidemic for Good
Wednesday, January 8, 2014, 10 AM
ET
National Press Club, Zenger Room
WASHINGTON,
DC –
Leading public health and medical organizations will hold a press conference at
10 am on January 8, 2014, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first
Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health and call for a national
commitment to end the tobacco epidemic for good.
The
first Surgeon General’s report, issued January 11, 1964, was a historic turning
point in the fight against tobacco use. The U.S. has made enormous
progress over 50 years, cutting smoking rates by more than half and per capita
consumption of cigarettes by more than 70 percent. New data being
released next week demonstrates clearly that reducing tobacco use has had the
single greatest impact on the nation's health over the last 50 years, but
tobacco use remains the nation’s number one cause of preventable death, killing
443,000 Americans and costing the nation $193 billion in health care
expenditures and lost productivity each year.
The
public health and medical organization leaders will announce bold new goals for
reducing tobacco use and challenge the nation to achieve them within a
decade. On the anniversary of the first Surgeon General’s report, it’s
time for the nation to commit to ending the tobacco epidemic and eliminating
the death and disease it causes by fully implementing proven strategies: we
can’t wait another 50 years. The goals the groups will propose are
reachable if the nation has strong Food and Drug Administration regulation of
all tobacco products, higher tobacco taxes, comprehensive smoke-free laws and
well-funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs that include mass media
campaigns.
What:
Press conference to mark 50th anniversary of first Surgeon General’s
report on smoking and health
When:
10 am ET,
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Where:
National Press Club,
Zenger Room, 529 14th Street NW, 13th Floor, Washington,
DC
Who:
Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
Michael Terry, son of ninth U.S. Surgeon
General, Luther Terry (1961-1965)
Kenneth E. Warner, Distinguished
University Professor of Public Health, University of Michigan, and co-author of
two new studies on the impact of tobacco control policies since 1964.
Robin
Koval, President and CEO, Legacy®
Mariell
Jessup, M.D. President, American Heart Association
Dick Woodruff,
Vice President of Federal Relations & Strategic Alliances, American Cancer
Society Cancer Action Network
Paul Billings,
Senior Vice President, Advocacy and Education, American Lung Association
James M. Perrin, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
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