THE WHITE HOUSE AT WORK



Thursday, April 2, 1998

National Kick Butts Day:
Saying "No" to Tobacco and "Yes" to Longer, Healthier Lives

Arming our children with the tools they need to say no to tobacco products is the most effective way I know to prevent them from picking up this deadly habit. As we work to pass comprehensive legislation to reduce youth smoking, President Clinton and I are committed to finding news ways to teach children that saying "no" to tobacco means saying "yes" to a longer, healthier life.

- Vice President Gore
April 1, 1998

Today, Vice President Gore attends a National Kick Butts Day, joining more than 700 students in celebration of kids fighting back against the marketing and advertising of tobacco products to young people. Kick Butts Day events are taking place today in more than 300 locations in all 50 states. The Vice President leads the Administration's Kick Butts Day effort which includes appearances by Cabinet Secretaries and other Administration representatives at events all over the country.

President Clinton and Vice President Gore are committed to passing comprehensive legislation to stop young Americans from smoking before they start, in an effort that can save one million lives over the next five years.

A Strong Foundation For Future Tobacco Reform. The President and Vice President believe that Senator McCain and Senator Hollings' bill that was voted on in the Commerce Committee yesterday represents a good start on the road to passing comprehensive tobacco legislation this year. We must continue to work with Senator McCain and others to strengthen this bill by imposing stronger penalties to make reducing teen smoking the tobacco industries bottom line and ensure that tobacco revenues are used to promote public health and assist children.

New Steps To Reduce Youth Tobacco Use. The Vice President announces several new efforts aimed at reducing youth tobacco use, including:

A Strategic Plan For Reducing Youth Tobacco Use. The Clinton-Gore plan for comprehensive tobacco legislation includes five key principles:



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