ND1118111

Title: Obama Urges Tobacco Industry to Stop Label Fight

Description: The president has harsh words for tobacco companies, saying they don?t want the new packaging requirements because ?they don?t want to be honest about the consequences.?

Page Content:

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama has some tough things to say to the tobacco industry in a new White House web video released yesterday for the 36th annual ?Great American Smokeout? day, the Associated Press reports. Obama, whom doctors said was tobacco-free after his most recent physical, said the tobacco firms are against the new cigarette labels because ?they don?t want to be honest about the consequences.?

�

While the number of Americans who light up has dropped, 46 million still smoke, Obama said in the video. ?The fact is, quitting smoking is hard. ?Believe me, I know,? he said. ?Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable early deaths in this country. ?We also know that the best way to prevent the health problems that come with smoking is to keep young people from starting in the first place.?

�

Two years ago, the president signed into law a bill to help prevent young people from smoking. This past June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released its new warning labels with graphic images. Tobacco companies have filed a lawsuit against the agency to stop the labels.

�

?Today, some big tobacco companies are trying to block these labels because they don't want to be honest about the consequences using their products,? said Obama. ?Unfortunately, this isn't surprising. We've always known that the fight to stop smoking in this country won't be easy.?

?

Content Subject: Operations

Formatted Article Date: November 18, 2011

sell cool stuff