Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act 1499164 217444016 2008-06-06T01:28:04Z Mtstroud 930474 The '''Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act''' is a [[United States federal law]], passed in 1970, designed to limit the practice of [[tobacco smoking|smoking]]. It required a stronger [[Tobacco packaging warning messages|health warning]] on [[cigarette]] packages, saying ''"Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined that Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health"''. The act also banned [[tobacco advertising|cigarette advertisements]] on American [[radio]] and [[television]].<ref name="document">{{cite web | url=http://tobaccodocuments.org/atc/71066088.html | title=Tobaccodocuments.org - Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1969 | accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> ==Origins== The Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act was one of the major [[Bill (proposed law)|bills]] passed by the [[United States Congress]] in response to [[Surgeon General of the United States|U.S. Surgeon General]] [[Luther Leonidas Terry]]'s [[Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the United States|1964 report]] that found that [[lung cancer]] and [[chronic bronchitis]] are causally related to cigarette smoking.<ref name="CDC">{{cite web | title=History of the Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health | url=http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/history.htm | publisher=[[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] | accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> Congress previously passed the [[Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act]] in [[1965]] requiring that all cigarette packages sold in the United States carry a health warning.<ref name="CDC"/><ref name="NLM">{{cite web | title=The 1964 Report on Smoking and Health | url=http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/Views/Exhibit/narrative/smoking.html | publisher=[[United States National Library of Medicine]] | accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> But after a recommendation by the [[Federal Trade Commission]], the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act amended the 1965 law so that the warnings are made in the name of the Surgeon General.<ref name="NLM"/><ref name="druglibrary">{{cite web | title=History of Tobacco Regulation | url=http://www.druglibrary.org/Schaffer/LIBRARY/studies/nc/nc2b.htm | publisher=druglibrary.org | accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> One of the major advocates of the cigarette advertising ban was the [[Federal Communications Commission]]. The FCC argued that since the topic of smoking is controversial, numerous TV and radio stations continued to break the [[Fairness Doctrine]] when airing these commercials because they did not give equal time to the opposing viewpoint that smoking is dangerous.<ref name="druglibrary"/> The Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act was introduced into Congress in 1969, but it was not until [[April 1]] [[1970]] when [[U.S. President]] [[Richard Nixon]] signed it into law. The actual cigarette advertising ban did not come into force until [[January 2]] [[1971]], as per a compromise that allowed broadcasters to air these commercials during their telecasts of [[college football]] [[bowl game]]s on [[New Year's Day]].<ref name="druglibrary"/> ==Effects== In 1981, the FTC reported that the health warning labels as mandated by the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act had little effect on American smoking habits. Congress therefore passed the [[Comprehensive Smoking Education Act]] of 1984, requiring more specific health warnings.<ref name="CDC2000 labels">{{cite web | title=2000 Surgeon General's Report—Reducing Tobacco Use: Warning Label | url=http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2000/highlights/highlight_labels.htm | publisher=[[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] | accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> The tobacco industry has begun to use a variety of other marketing tools and strategies to influence people and attract new customers.<ref name="CDC2000 ads">{{cite web | title=2000 Surgeon General's Report—Reducing Tobacco Use: Tobacco Advertising and Promotion | url=http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2000/highlights/highlight_advertising.htm | publisher=[[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] | accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> In particular, ads targeted to [[adolescent]]s affect their perceptions on the image and function of smoking.<ref name="CDC1994">{{cite web | title=1994 Surgeon General's Report—Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People: Major Conclusions | url=http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_1994/chapter1_intro.htm | publisher=[[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] | accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> In 1991, the [[Journal of the American Medical Association]] published a study showing that more children 5 and 6 years old could recognize [[Camel cigarettes]]' [[Joe Camel]] mascot than could recognize [[Mickey Mouse]] or [[Fred Flintstone]].<ref name="fischer">Fischer PM, Schwartz MP, Richards JW Jr, Goldstein AO, Rojas TH. Brand logo recognition by children aged 3 to 6 years. Mickey Mouse and Old Joe the Camel. JAMA. 1991 Dec 11;266(22):3145-8. PMID 1956101</ref> Camel increased its adolescent customer base dramatically, from less than 1% before 1988 to more than 13% in 1993.<ref name="CDC2000 ads"/> ==References== <references/> [[Category:1970 in law]] [[Category:United States federal healthcare legislation]] [[Category:Tobacco advertising]]