CHICAGO, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is being issued by Randolph D. Smoak, Jr., MD, President, American Medical Association: ``The American Medical Association (AMA) strongly supports the conclusions of the latest report on smoking a

The tobacco industry's influence as well as its promotion of tobacco products is a major obstacle to the efforts of the public health community to reduce the use of tobacco. -- Comprehensive approaches to tobacco control, including economic, regulatory, and clinical interventions should be implemented together in order to maximize their impact. -- State tobacco control programs have produced encouraging evidence of the efficacy of this comprehensive approach. ``The AMA again calls on Congress to give the FDA the authority to regulate the tobacco industry. Legislation should be enacted that gives the FDA strong power to control tobacco advertising, marketing, labeling and promotion. ``State legislatures should use the tobacco 'settlement' funds to put comprehensive tobacco control programs in place across the country. This report reinforces what we already know about effective state programs and their potential to reduce tobacco use among both adults and children. State funding should be at sufficient levels, as previously recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, to put these programs in place. ``Higher excise taxes, stronger clean indoor air regulations and further curbs on tobacco industry advertising and promotion need to be enacted. The efforts of the health community must intervene with individuals, policymakers and our nation's youth to curb the human and economic toll taken by tobacco use.''

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