TobaccoSmoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Each year over 400,000 Americans die due to smoking-related diseases and thousands more die from exposure to secondhand smoke. According to the World Health Organization, by 2025 smoking will cause over 10 million deaths a year worldwide. The consequences of tobacco to public health are devastating.
Chronology
Monday, June 28, 2004
Global Tobacco Accord Needed to Combat International Cigarette Smuggling
Citing a new GAO report, Rep. Waxman urges the President to address the growing threat of cigarette smuggling by making ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control an urgent priority.
- Letter to the President
- GAO Report
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Legislation Introduced to Regulate Tobacco Products
Chairman Davis and Rep. Waxman introduce H.R. 4433, legislation that would give FDA strong authority to regulate tobacco products. The bill addressses youth smoking, requires a review of scientific evidence before "reduced risk" tobacco products could be marketed, and provides the agency authority to control the content of tobacco products.
- Fact Sheet
Tuesday, November 18, 2003
Free Trade Pact Should Exclude Tobacco
Rep. Waxman, Sen. Durbin, and Rep. Doggett urge the Administration to insist that tobacco products be excluded from the Free Trade Area of the Americas, a trade-promoting agreement that will effect over 500 million people in Latin America and Caribbean countries.
- Letter to the President
Friday, July 25, 2003
Distribution of Smokeless Tobacco Appears to Violate Navy Policy
Rep. Waxman writes the Acting Secretary of the Navy on U.S. Smokeless Tobacco's recent distribution of free samples to Marines serving in Iraq in what appears to be a blatant violation of Marine Corps policy.
- Dec. 18 U.S. Navy Response
- Letter to U.S. Navy
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
Letter Questions USDA Promotion of Tobacco Trade
Senator Durbin and Rep. Waxman write to the Department of Agriculture regarding a new GAO report that finds that the Foreign Agricultural Service has analyzed the potential opportunities foreign tobacco markets, including the market for "younger smokers," offer U.S. tobacco companies and participated in negotiations that led to the elimination of tobacco tariffs. These actions appear to violate the law that prohibits the Foreign Agricultural Service from promoting the sale and export of tobacco products.
- Letter to USDA
- GAO Report
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Smokeless Tobacco "Gift" Puts Profits Before Welfare of U.S. Troops
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco's recent distribution of free samples to Marines serving in Iraq is irresponsible in its disregard for the health of American servicemen and women and is an apparent violation of Marine Corps policy.
- Letter to U.S. Smokeless Tobacco
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
Risks of New "Reduced Risk" Tobacco Products
Rep. Waxman and Rep. Schakowsky release a new report which finds striking parallels between the marketing of new “reduced risk” tobacco products and the deceptive marketing 30 years ago of “light” and “low tar” cigarettes.
- Rep. Waxman's Statement
- The Report
Tuesday, April 29, 2003
Administration Isolates the U.S. in International Tobacco Control Efforts
In a letter to the President, Rep. Waxman expresses concern about the Administration's continuing attempts to weaken the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, including the Administration's recent opposition to international efforts to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to children.
- Letter to the President
Thursday, April 24, 2003
Little Federal Oversight of Heavy Pesticide Use on Tobacco
A new GAO report released by Rep. Waxman finds that there is heavy use of pesticides on tobacco with virtually no federal oversight. Rep. Waxman writes federal agencies that "these gaping holes in regulation are strong arguments for increased federal oversight."
- Letter to HHS
- GAO Report
Thursday, April 17, 2003
Document Destruction by Phillip Morris
Rep. Waxman asks the Committee on Energy and Commerce to launch a full investigation into document destruction by Philip Morris Inc., an apparent violation of a federal court order.
- Letter to House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Thursday, February 27, 2003
Better Oversight of State Tobacco Efforts Needed
Rep. Waxman sent HHS Secretary Thompson a report showing that federal maternal and child health programs do not set high standards for the reduction of smoking by parents and pregnant women.
- Secretary Thompson's Response
- Letter to Secretary Thompson
- The Report
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
U.S. Lobbies Countries on Tobacco Trade
Rep. Waxman, Sen. Durbin, and Rep. Doggett write President Bush to protest a confidential U.S. communiqué to Saudi Arabia that asks for Saudi support in weakening the global tobacco treaty. The letter also discloses an internal Philip Morris analysis that says that even Philip Morris is "to the left" of the Bush Administration on the international agreement.
- Letter to the President
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
Administration Promotes Tobacco Products Abroad
The World Health Organization has estimated that 4.9 million people will die this year from diseases caused by tobacco products, a massive death toll that will soon eclipse that of any single disease. Instead of leading international efforts to reduce tobacco use, the Bush Administration has taken a string of actions to promote the sale of U.S. cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products abroad.
- Letter to the President
Wednesday, December 11, 2002
Midnight Trade Deal Ends Tariffs on U.S. Cigarettes Sold in Chile
Rep. Waxman and Rep. Doggett call for a full investigation into a midnight trade deal by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick that will phase out tariffs on U.S. cigarettes sold in Chile, an abandonment of the Administration’s previously stated position that cigarettes would not be included in the trade negotiations.
- Press Release
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
Tobacco Companies Still Deny Harm of Cigarettes
As criticism of the tobacco industry has accelerated in recent years and calls for product regulation have grown, tobacco companies have defended themselves by saying they are now "responsible" corporations that aim to communicate honestly about their products. A new report released by Rep. Waxman examines recently submitted filings by the five largest cigarette manufacturers in the civil suit brought by the United States Department of Justice to evaluate the truthfulness of company statements.
- Press Release
- The Report
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
Rep. Waxman Urges FTC to Reject Smokeless Claims
Rep. Waxman and Sen. Dick Durbin wrote the Federal Trade Commission to urge that the agency not permit smokeless tobacco to be marketed as a "safer" alternative to smoking. Citing new evidence that smokeless tobacco products are being marketed heavily in youth-oriented magazines, Rep. Waxman and Sen. Durbin also asked the National Association of Attorneys General to investigate the compliance of the United States Smokeless Tobacco Company with the multi-state Master Settlement Agreement which governs the way tobacco products are advertised and marketed in the U.S.
- Letter to FTC
- Letter to NAAG
Wednesday, April 10, 2002
FDA Announcement: Nicotine Lollipops Unhealthy and Illegal
One week after Rep. Waxman called on the Department of Health and Human Services to halt the sale of nicotine lollipops, the FDA announced its finding that these products are illegal and directed sellers to move to discontinue sales within 15 days.
- FDA Announcement 
- Rep. Waxman's Statement
Wednesday, April 03, 2002
Nicotine Lollipops Illegally Sold
Rep. Waxman sent a letter to HHS describing the health risks posed by nicotine lollipops and urging the agency to halt the sale of these unapproved products.
- Letter to HHS
Thursday, March 21, 2002
Administration Holding Weak Positions on Tobacco Treaty
Writing in the March 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Rep. Waxman outlines deficiencies in U.S. negotiating positions on the global tobacco treaty, including weak positions on on tobacco taxes, advertising and promotion, labeling, trade, and passive smoking restrictions. He concludes, "We know more about the harm of tobacco consumption and effective ways to reduce this harm than about perhaps any other major cause of human suffering. That knowledge -- not political influence or campaign contributions -- should guide U.S. actions in these crucial public health negotiations." (Article not available online.)
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Tuesday, March 05, 2002
U.S. Positions at Third Treaty Session Detailed
Rep. Waxman released a description of selected positions taken by the United States at the third negotiating session on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in November 2001.
- The Report
Friday, December 07, 2001
FDA Regulation Needed to Curb Youth Smoking
Rep. Waxman released a GAO study that demonstrates state enforcement of youth smoking laws is inadequate. Many states used young teens to inspect retail outlets for compliance, artificially reducing violations. Fifteen states did not take enforcement action against stores selling cigarettes to children. The report shows that strong FDA regulation is needed to curb the epidemic of youth smoking.
- GAO Report
- Report Summary
Thursday, December 06, 2001
New Tobacco Documents Allege Illegal Activity
Rep. Waxman wrote to the Attorney General with new evidence of bribery, obstruction of justice, purgery, and other illegal activity in the tobacco industry. These allegations were made by tobacco executive Ron Tully in two 1998 letters.
- Letter to the Attorney General
- Background: Tully Letter (Sept. 25, 1998)
- Background: Tully Letter (Sept. 17, 1998)
Monday, November 19, 2001
U.S. Negotiators Promoted Philip Morris's Changes to Global Tobacco Treaty
Rep. Waxman sent a letter to President Bush revealing that U.S. negotiators promoted 10 of 11 deletions to a global tobacco treaty urged by Philip Morris, the nation's largest cigarette manufacturer.
- Letter to the President
- Philip Morris's Requests to the Administration
Thursday, August 02, 2001
Administration Seeks to Weaken Global Tobacco Accord
Rep. Waxman wrote a letter to President Bush protesting the actions of the U.S. delegation at the most recent negotiating session of the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The letter, which is based on previously unreleased minutes of the meetings, reveals how the United States has tried to weaken or eliminate key provisions of the treaty related to tobacco labeling, advertising, exports, and other issues.
- Letter to the President
Thursday, March 01, 2001
Child Tobacco Use Prevention Act and FDA Tobacco Jurisdiction Act
Reps. Waxman, James Hansen, and Marty Meehan introduced the Child Tobacco Use Prevention Act of 2001 (H.R. 1044). This comprehensive legislation to reduce tobacco use by children provides FDA the authority to regulate tobacco, establishes performance-based standards to give individual tobacco companies economic incentives to reduce the numbers of children that smoke, creates national requirements for smoke-free environments, and funds a new nationwide public education campaign. Reps. Waxman, Hansen, and Meehan also introduced the FDA Tobacco Jurisdiction Act of 2001 (H.R. 1043). This legislation authorizes the FDA to regulate tobacco products, validates FDA’s tobacco rule, and incorporates some key additional requirements, such as the elimination of the Marlboro Man and other human figures in advertising.
- Bill Text: H.R. 1043
- Bill Text: H.R. 1044
- Summary of H.R. 1044
Thursday, July 23, 1998
Underage Tobacco Buying Sting in U.S. Capitol Buildings
The Special Investigations Division worked with the American Lung Association to conduct an undercover "sting" to determine if teenagers could buy cigarettes in House, Senate, and Capitol buildings. One 15 year-old girl succeeded in buying cigarettes from all sites tested in the House office buildings. A teen also was able to buy cigarettes in Senate office buildings and the Capitol building itself.
- The Report
Monday, July 20, 1998
Air Tobacco: Campaign Travel on Tobacco Industry Jets
Rep. Waxman released a report by the Special Investigations Division that investigated the tobacco industry’s practice of providing corporate aircraft to congressional leaders and political parties for campaign activities. The report found: (1) the tobacco industry provides more subsidized campaign travel to congressional leaders and political parties than any other corporate special interest; and (2) the principal beneficiary of subsidized campaign travel from the tobacco industry is the Republican congressional leadership and Republican party organizations.
- The Report
Wednesday, January 14, 1998
Tobacco Companies’ Efforts to Target Children
Rep. Waxman released internal tobacco company documents that revealed the extent of the tobacco industry's efforts to market to children. One set of documents detailed R. J. Reynolds’s decades-long efforts to capture the youth market. The second set of documents, released by Reps. Waxman, John Dingell, and Sherrod Brown disclosed the efforts of Philip Morris to target children. In a detailed letter to Rep. Tom Bliley, then the Chairman of the House Commerce Committee, Rep. Waxman summarized the most important documents and their legal and policy significance.
- Letter to Rep. Bliley
- Memo Summarizing Tobacco Company Documents
Thursday, June 12, 1997
Secret Attorney-Client Documents Are Evidence of Tobacco Industry Crimes or Fraud
Rep. Waxman released a report that describes the efforts of tobacco industry attorneys to conceal information from the public. In particular, the report describes previously secret attorney-client documents from Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. that show the central role played by industry lawyers in concealing health information.
- The Report
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