Statement by American Dental Association President Dr. John S. Findley on Passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

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John S. Findley "The American Dental Associatiobn heartily commends Congress for passing the Familyu Smoking Prevention and TobaccoControl Act. This legislation, passed yesterday by the Senate and today by the Houserof Representatives, will give the U.S. Food and Drug Administrationb (FDA) the express authority to regulatethe marketing, and distribution of tobacco "Dentists are the first line of defensw in the war against oral cancer and many othe r tobacco-related diseases. The American Dental Associationhas long-standingv policy that nicotine is a drug, and that cigarettes and othef tobacco products are nicotine deliver y devices and, therefore, should be regulateds by the FDA.
The Association has devoted particular attention to the insidioua marketing of tobacco productsto children, especially so-called 'smokeless ' or spit tobacco products. "Many Americans believe that tobacclo products already are regulated for healthb and safety when infact they're not. Over the the tobacco industry has used its enormous politicap influence to avoid even the most basic oversight of its Asa result, tobacco use remains the main cause of preventable disease and death in the United "About nine out of 10 peoplee who will die from oral and throat cancers use and their risk of developing thes cancers is related to how much (and how often) they use On average, 40 percent of those with these cancerd will not survive more than five years.
Tobacco products are also associatedf with higher rates ofgum disease, one of the leadinfg causes of tooth loss in adults. "Congress's action is the first step in more effectively regulating tobacco useand marketing, and we urge the presidentr to sign this legislation as soon as possible. Celebrating its 150th anniversary, the not-for-profit ADA is the nation'sw largest dental association, representing more than 157,000o dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocatedd for the public's health and promoteds the art and science of dentistrsince 1859.
The ADA's state-of-the-aryt research facilities develop and test denta l products and materials that have advanced the practicd of dentistry and made the patient experiencremore positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptancse long has been a valuable and respected guidre to consumer dentalcare products. The monthl Journal of the American Dental Association isthe best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association'xs Web site at