Jeff Bingaman: “I firmly believe that this legislation represents the opportunity to prevent nicotine addiction in children and youth.…”

“I firmly believe that this legislation represents the opportunity to prevent nicotine addiction in children and youth. The Congress has the truly historic opportunity this year to enact comprehensive legislation that will reduce access to and consumption of tobacco by our youth. The HEALTHY Kids Act gives us a blueprint for reducing the terrible destruction that tobacco products have caused. The Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that cigarettes kill more Americans that AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs, and fires combined. Additionally, as the smoke screen erected by the tobacco companies begins to clear through numerous court proceedings, we now know what we have suspected all along: The targeting of our children has been a well planned, well orchestrated, and well financed conspiracy by these companies.”