The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has declared that tobacco use is the most important single preventable cause of death in the United States and the U.S. Surgeon General has stated that tobacco products are the most important individual health risk in this country.

Tobacco products are the most common form of drug addiction.

Children are beginning to use tobacco products at younger ages, and, the earlier tobacco use begins, the less likely the user is to quit.

A Multi-state Tobacco Settlement* has greatly affected the tobacco industries ability to market and is the single most groundbreaking document to affect the tobacco industry. The settlement does establish some new restrictions on marketing and advertising, and creates a National Foundation for a public education program and research.

National PTA will participate with other organizations in educating the public about the dangers of tobacco products, their effects, and the cost of the use of tobacco products to society as a whole.

National PTA will continue to support legislation that prohibits tobacco companies from targeting youth in the advertising, promotion or marketing of tobacco products, and that prohibits the sale of tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21.
National PTA encourages its constituent bodies to support implementation of the restrictions placed on tobacco companies in marketing to minors and other provisions included in the Multi-State Tobacco Settlement.

National PTA urges Congress to impose strict safety testing regulations on all tobacco additives National PTA, its units, councils, districts/ regions and states should encourage school health education programs to include information regarding the dangers of cigarette additives National PTA and its constituent bodies increase efforts to educate the public about the dangers of involuntary/secondhand smoking and its effects on a child's development

**Sources: Multi-state Tobacco Settlement can be obtained from the National Center for Tobacco Free Kids, 1707 L. Street, NW Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036;
www.tobaccofreekids.org

Adopted: by the 2001 Board of Directors
Revised: by the 2022 Board of Directors