Koop and Kessler on proposal
-- Don't seem to agree with Lungren
In the press release that Dan
Lungren sent out on the deal, he said: "When Minnesota settled their
case earlier this year, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop hailed that
settlement as 'the most significant public health achievement of the 20th
Century.' This proposal exceeds Minnesota's accomplishments on public health.'"
Perhaps Lungren should have actually asked Koop what he thought of the
deal Lungren and his pals cut. Here is the statement that Koop and Kessler
issued:
The following "Statement on the Proposed Tobacco Settlement"
was on the stationary of The Advisory Committee on Tobacco Policy and Public
Health,Co-Chairs: Dr. C. Everett Koop and Dr. David Kessler:
"This isn't a national settlement. It's about money. There is very
little in here for public health. The settlement doesn't deal with the
three big issues the public health community vigorously fought for in Congress
last year -- a significant price hike, lookback provisions and FDA authority.
"People should recognize that this isn't the end of a fight, not
by any means. It's only a start. Congress needs to finish what it started
this year and pass a significant public health bill on tobacco in the next
session."