Presidential Documents

62679

Federal Register

Vol. 62, No. 226

Monday, November 24, 1997

Title 3—

The President

Proclamation 7051 of November 20, 1997

National Great American Smokeout Day, 1997

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

For 21 years, this special day has been devoted to communicating a simple

message: if you smoke, you need to quit—for life. Smoking is the largest

cause of preventable death in this country, eventually killing one of every

two people who continue to smoke. Every day, 3,000 adolescents in America

smoke their first cigarette, taking the first step to becoming regular smokers,

and one-third of these new smokers will eventually die of tobacco-related

diseases. Each of these devastating statistics represents a personal tragedy,

needless suffering, and irreparable loss.

Because most smokers—more than 80 percent of them—begin smoking before

their 18th birthday, my Administration is working hard to reach children

before they decide to start. Last year, I announced tough measures to limit

children’s access to tobacco products and to reduce their appeal to young

people. Now we are working with the Congress, the public health community,

State attorneys general across the country, and other interested organizations

to develop and pass comprehensive national legislation to reduce teen smoking significantly.

Such legislation must set ambitious targets to cut teen smoking rates and

stiff financial penalties to help ensure that tobacco companies meet those

targets. To counteract the pervasive influence of cigarette and smokeless

tobacco advertising and promotion, we must mount a nationwide effort

to strip tobacco of its allure, warning our young people of its addictive

nature and deadly consequences and helping parents discourage their children from ever taking up the habit. The Food and Drug Administration

must have full authority to see to it that industry develops less addictive,

reduced-risk products. And we must strengthen and expand our current

efforts to limit the advertising of tobacco to children and restrict young

people’s access to tobacco products.

The Great American Smokeout offers all Americans, smokers and nonsmokers

alike, an invaluable opportunity to show our young people how much we

care about them and how much their good health means to us. I urge

the almost 48 million adult Americans and 4 million of our young people

who still smoke to set an example of strength and determination by quitting

for the day and, ultimately, for life. I encourage students across the Nation

to participate in Smokeout activities designed to teach them about the dangers

of smoking. I ask all Americans to renew their commitment to a smokefree environment for themselves and for our children. If we can accomplish

these goals today, we can do so every day, creating a better, healthier

future for us all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution

and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 20, 1997,

as National Great American Smokeout Day. I call upon all Americans to

join together in an effort to educate our children about the dangers of

tobacco use, and I urge both smokers and nonsmokers to take this opportunity

to begin healthier lifestyles that set a positive example for young people.
62680 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 226 / Monday, November 24, 1997 / Presidential Documents

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day

of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven,

and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred

[FR Doc. 97–31069

Filed 11–21–97; 11:41 am]

Billing code 3195–01–P

and twenty-second.

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