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AAP News Vol. 14 No. 8 August 1998, p. 5 © 1998 American Academy of Pediatrics
The House Republican leadership announced June 25 a proposed set of principles for tobacco control legislation that falls short of protecting kids from tobacco addiction, according to the Academy. The House principles were unveiled one week after the Senate defeated Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) AAP-backed comprehensive tobacco control legislation (see related article, page 25). Senate and House Republicans stated they wanted to deter youth tobacco use, but only with a scaled-back bill. The Academy's message to Congress was that a scaled-back bill is unacceptable. "The Senate vote doesn't change the fact that each day 3,000 children become regular smokers," AAP President Joseph R. Zanga, M.D., said. "The Senate vote doesn't change the fact that we still need comprehensive tobacco control legislation to deter youth access and use.
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