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REMARKS BY: DONNA E. SHALALA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PLACE: SmokeFree Kids & Soccer Campaign Kick-Off Atlanta, Georgia DATE: March 14, 1996
We are in a race for the lives of our children -- and, to win the Gold we must beat one of our toughest opponents: tobacco.
I think Mia Colson, a fourth grader at Atlanta's Morningside Elementary School had the right advice for children, when she said of smoking: "I think that it is disgusting, YUK!"
Tragically, too many young people no longer share Mia's wisdom. Today, more and more children are picking up that first cigarette. More and more believe that smoking is "in." And, they didn't arrive at these false conclusions all on their own.
From t-shirts to trinkets, from vending machines to advertising, the tobacco culture bombards our children with dangerous messages like:
But, nothing could be further from the truth.
Because, every day, 3,000 American teens will light a slow burning fire in their lungs. One puff will lead to another and another and another. Before they know it, many will become hooked on nicotine. And, one third of them will eventually die because of their deadly addiction.
Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable death in this country -- and about 80% of all adult smokers light up that first cigarette before their 18th birthday.
We're not talking about a harmless habit. We're talking about a pediatric disease that must be stopped -- and it must be stopped early.
Our goal is to reduce smoking among children and adolescents by 50 percent within seven years. And, to accomplish that, the Clinton Administration has proposed some of the boldest public health proposals this country has ever seen.
Our proposals would, for example, limit all the easy ways that children get tobacco; restrict the placement of tobacco billboards; take Joe Camel and the Marlboro Man out of publications read by children; and, prohibit tobacco companies from using the allure of their name brands when they sponsor sporting and entertainment events.
But, as you well know, government can't solve this problem alone -- and we shouldn't ever try.
Preventing tobacco use among young people is going to take the stamina of Carla Overbeck and the precision of Tammy Pearman. But, most of all, it is going to take that winning combination that underscores every great athletic effort -- good old-fashioned American teamwork.
And, that's what today's event is all about.
It's about enlisting parents, the sports industry, the media, and state and community leaders all over America to send a clear message to all young people: Like oil and water, smoking and fitness just don't mix.
Together, we need to help parents steer their children through the sometimes rough waters of adolescence to the safe passages of young adulthood: so that young people are getting their information about tobacco from parents, coaches and other caring adults -- not from Joe Camel; so that children are inspired to put down the cigarettes and pick up the soccer balls; and, so that this generation understands that health and fitness are cool -- and that stained teeth and blackened lungs are not.
That means doing much more than teaching our kids to say "no" to smoking. We must give them positive alternatives to say "yes" to.
That's why I am proud to announce today that we have teamed up with the U.S. Soccer Federation to launch the SmokeFree Kids & Soccer Campaign.
Featuring the U.S. Women's National team, this campaign will include posters and television ads that tell adolescent girls the real score: In the game of health, always avoid the penalty of smoking -- and go straight for the goal of fitness.
Through the SmokeFree Kids & Soccer campaign, that message will travel with the team as they make their way across America.
And, together we will reach out to more than just soccer fans.
Starting today in Charlotte, North Carolina, our new cutting-edge T.V. ads will enter the homes of millions of viewers, showing young people that energy and adrenalin, hard work and dedication are always better than smoke and tobacco.
I am also pleased to announce that, thanks to an innovative partnership between HHS, the American Cancer Society, state and local health departments, and tobacco control groups, these spots will be appearing as paid advertisements in select markets all over America.
Now, I am proud to introduce Julie Foudy -- an All-American, star midfielder who joined the U.S. Women's Soccer Team when she was only seventeen.
An athlete, a scholar, and a future medical student at Stanford University, Julie understands the connection between good health and good habits -- and, by word and example, she is inspiring other young women to do the same.
More than anything, Julie Foudy -- like all of her teammates -- is an extraordinary role model.