Guest Column
Jump to full article: Norwich (CT) Bulletin, 2009-06-19
Author: CHRISTOPHER J. DODD For The Norwich Bulletin
Intro: fter several failed attempts to quit an addiction developed before she was old enough to drive, she was diagnosed with lung cancer.
This story repeats itself daily across Connecticut and across the country. Every year another 15,500 Connecticut children, seduced by flashy ads and a carefully manicured image, light up for the first time. More than 4,600 of them will become regular smokers.
Too often, the story ends sadly. . . .
No matter how hard we work at teaching our children of the dangers of smoking, cigarette companies aren't on our side. Nearly 90 percent of smokers start as children. That isn't an accident; that's a business model.
As a father to two young daughters, I find the aggressive marketing of cigarettes to our children deeply troubling. As a senator who has fought for the health and welfare of every child in Connecticut for years, I find it outrageous.
I'm proud we have passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, with broad bipartisan support, and I look forward to President Barack Obama continuing his strong support for family health by signing it. It gives the Food and Drug Administration the ability to regulate tobacco, and how tobacco products are marketed. . . .
protecting children from nicotine addiction takes hard work by parents. As a father and an advocate for Connecticut families, I'm proud that we've taken a major step towards empowering them.
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