National Great American Smokeout Day, 1997

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Part III

The President

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Proclamation 7051--National Great American Smokeout Day, 1997

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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 smoke-free
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.

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 and twenty-second.