On the recordApril 7, 1994
We don't use direct Government subsidies to support tobacco. We do organize the market with non-taxpayer funds actually to keep growers out of the market. It keeps the prices higher and does provide an income for the people who are in tobacco farming now. I think if you abolish the present Federal program--I want to talk about what we're trying to do to reduce smoking in a minute--but I think, if you abolish the Federal program, what would happen is the big tobacco companies would come in and actually plant more tobacco at lower prices and try to make it more readily available. Now, what we are doing is, the only tax we propose to raise in this program is a 75 cent tax on tobacco to pay for the medical care of the unemployed uninsured. And we ask big companies that get a big windfall, that is whose insurance rates will drop way down, to pay a little bit, too. We have proposed in Federal buildings totally smoke-free areas unless the rooms are separate and completely separately ventilated. The Food and Drug Administration is conducting an investigation, even as we're here tonight, on the nicotine content of cigarettes and whether there's been any direct attempt to increase the nicotine content so that it has a more addictive effect on people who smoke. We are doing our best to be aggressive in trying to tell young people that they should not smoke, that there are dangers to smoking, and that those who are around smokers in closed spaces can also be exposed. A few thousand people a year die from lung cancer induced by smoke, even though they're nonsmokers. This is a very serious problem, and we're taking some strong steps in that direction. And I appreciate you raising the issue. Mr. Anschutz. Mr. President, we're going to try for one more round- robin of our remote stations. We go again to Tulsa. Ms. Silvy. This gentleman has a question about public health. Public Health Services
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