(NAPSA)—If you’ve got a father who smokes, you'll want to hear somestartling newstatistics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average male smoker dies 13 years earlier than if he didn’t smoke. And according to the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids, 216,000 kids under 18 will be without a father this year on Father’s Day, because of tobacco use. The group also reports 30,000 young people under 18 lose their dads to smoking-caused diseases each year. In fact, smoking kills more fathers than alcohol, murder, suicide, illegal drugs, AIDS, traffic accidents and fires combined. The statistics have prompted Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign, to call on Congress to do more to protect families from the harm tobacco causes. “The data illustrates the devastating toll tobacco takes on our kids and families and shows that tobacco affects many more people than just those who smoke,” says Myers. “One of the best things a member of Congress can do to protect the health of America’s families is to sign on to legislation that grants the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) effective authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products,” he explains. Myers says the FDA should Quitting smoking can help dads be around for many years to come. have the authority to restrict tobacco industry practices that have caused “so much harm.” Bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate that would give FDA what Myers considers effective authority over tobacco. They would restrict tobacco marketing to children and apply the same basic health standards to tobacco products that are applied to other products. Thebills would also let the FDA require tobacco companies to reduce or eliminate harmful components found in tobacco products, as well as require independenttesting of products and health claims. Myers says the proposed rules could be like a breath of fresh air to thousands of American families. For more information, visit www.tobaccofreekids.org.
