Tobacco bill would save lives

As a volunteer for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, I would like to thank U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson for being a co-sponsor of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

Tobacco is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in our country, killing 440,000 people a year. Yet the tobacco industry has been given special exemptions from every major consumer protection law in our country. Tobacco companies are free to manipulate their products to make them more addictive -- and without disclosing that information to the public. They also still shamelessly market their products to youths, using youth-oriented packaging and free giveaways.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act would give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to investigate tobacco product ingredients and to crack down on tobacco advertising aimed at youths.

This legislation would save lives. It would also save money, because tobacco-related diseases currently cost our health-care system $96 billion a year.

I am pleased to know that our U.S. representative is leading the way on this important issue.

SHARON ANN SPENCE, Perryville, Mo.