Washington, D.C. (August 21, 2006) - Members of Faith United Against Tobacco, a diverse coalition of clergy and lay members throughout the country, sent a letter to all Congressional candidates urging them to support legislation that gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over tobacco products. The legislation would protect kids from tobacco and save lives.

"We have spoken out on this issue because we have spent too much time burying mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers who die because they became addicted to tobacco products when they were young," the faith leaders wrote in the letter. "We know that the tobacco companies continue to spend billions of dollars marketing their deadly product to children and far too many high school students smoke. It is time to protect our children and families."

In 2004, the U.S. Senate twice voted overwhelmingly to pass the FDA legislation. However, House leaders blocked it from coming to a vote. Every day Congress fails to act, another 1,200 Americans die from tobacco use and another 1,500 children become regular smokers.

The legislation, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is sponsored by Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Representatives Tom Davis (R-VA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA). It would give the FDA authority over the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products. Among other things, the FDA would have the authority to crack

down on tobacco marketing and sales to children; require changes in tobacco products to make them less harmful and less addictive; ban candy-flavored cigarettes; stop tobacco companies from making unsubstantiated claims that some tobacco products may be safer than others; require the disclosure of the contents of tobacco products; and mandate larger, more effective health warnings. The faith leaders are calling on candidates to publicly announce their strong support for the FDA legislation, S. 666 or H.R. 1376, and if elected, to cosponsor the legislation.

The need for FDA regulation of tobacco was underscored by a federal judge's ruling last week that the tobacco companies have violated racketeering laws by lying to the American people about the health risks of tobacco products and their marketing to children. U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler found that "over the course of more than 50 years, Defendants lied, misrepresented

and deceived the American public, including smokers and the young people they avidly sought as 'replacement smokers,' about the devastating health effects of smoking and environmental tobacco smoke." She also found that, "The evidence in this case clearly establishes that Defendants have not ceased engaging in unlawful activity."

"Tobacco addiction kills 1200 Americans every day," said Dr. Richard Land, President, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and a member of Faith United Against Tobacco. "As Baptists, we believe it is a critical life issue for Congress to reduce this tragic number by authorizing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products."

"The religious community is taking on a critical social challenge - the escalating death and illness from tobacco products," said James Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, United Methodist Church. "What we are asking for is not overly burdensome. It would simply level the playing field between tobacco and other products. There is consensus in the faith community - both conservative and liberal - that this product must be regulated."

Unlike other products we consume, tobacco products are virtually unregulated. The FDA legislation would finally end the special protection enjoyed by the tobacco industry and protect our children and the nation's health instead.

In one of their latest marketing schemes, tobacco companies are marketing flavored cigarettes that are just as deadly and addictive as other cigarettes, but are spiked with candy and fruit flavors. R.J. Reynolds, for example, has recently marketed its Camel cigarettes in flavors such as Warm Winter Toffee, Winter Mocha Mint, Kauai Kolada (pineapple and coconut) and Twista Lime. Altogether, the tobacco companies $15.4 billion a year to market their deadly products in the U.S., according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S, killing more than 400,000 people and costing more than $89 billion in health care bills each year. About 90 percent of all smokers began in their teens or earlier.