The Iowa chapters of the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the American Lung Association express our appreciation to Senator Johnie Hammond and Representatives Bill Bernau, Cecelia Burnett, and Teresa Garman for their support in the effort to reduce youth smoking.

This year the above agencies proposed a bill that would allow cities and counties to clearly have greater authority over tobacco related issues.

Such issues are best debated and decided in local communities by parents, teachers, police officers, business leaders and others who will be most effected by these potential laws.

The tobacco lobbyists, well entrenched in the state capitol, desperately want to maintain their influence by keeping Iowa’s communities from being the primary decision makers in this issue.

Unfortunately for Iowa’s children, the tobacco lobbyists won again by convincing enough legislators and other interest groups to oppose local control/local enforcement of tobacco regulation.

Although the legislative body as a whole failed to encourage Iowa’s local governments to have greater involvement in this issue, Story County voters should be proud of the above public servants for their support of this important piece of legislation.

As long as the profit-driven tobacco industry threatens the youth of this state, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association will continue to fight for effective and enforceable tobacco laws that will help prevent Iowa’s children from one day joining the 430,000 Americans who annually die from smoking-caused diseases.

We salute Senator Hammond and Representatives Bernau, Burnett and Garman for joining in this fight.

John Wollner, M.D.

President

American Cancer Society

Byron Beasley, M.D.

President

American Heart Association

Alan Rowe

President

American Lung Association