I congratulate KFC and Pizza Hut on their decision to ban smoking in their
restaurants across the United States. This action, along with similar moves
by others in the restaurant industry, will protect the health of non-smoking
customers and employees, and will make a meaningful contribution in the
battle to keep our young people from starting to smoke. This is especially
significant for an industry that serves millions of young people each day.
As I reported in the 2004 Surgeon General's Report on smoking, the toxins
from cigarette smoke go everywhere the blood flows. Smoking kills nearly
440,000 Americans each year. On average, smoking reduces adult life
expectancy by approximately 14 years. An estimated $92 billion in
productivity losses occurs annually from deaths due to smoking; and when
combined with an additional $75.5 billion in smoking-related medical
expenditures, the total economic toll exceeds $167 billion each year in the
United States.
The decision by Pizza Hut and KFC can help motivate people to quit smoking
and convince young people not to start in the first place. Children don't
enter this world as smokers - they are taught to do it. Caring adults must
teach kids to never try tobacco. I've declared this "The Year of the
Healthy Child" to encourage everyone to help keep children healthy and safe,
from pre-birth through their teen years. This includes preventing children
from being exposed to tobacco smoke and from becoming smokers themselves.
A child's first exposure to tobacco smoke often comes from the secondhand
smoke of their own parents and loved ones. Secondhand smoke is particularly
dangerous to children. Each year, second-hand smoke is responsible for
150,000 to 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections (such as pneumonia and
bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months, which result in 7,500 to
15,000 hospitalizations. And because their lungs are not fully developed,
young children exposed to smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant
death syndrome, asthma attacks, and other problems. Secondhand smoke
increases the number and severity of asthma attacks in asthmatic children,
further adding to their discomfort and limiting their school and physical
activities.
It is also important that parents and other trusted adults communicate with
children about staying away from tobacco. More than 4,000 children smoke
their first cigarette each day. Parents are a child's first and most
influential role models. We must set the example for our children by not
smoking. If you don't smoke, don't ever start. If you do smoke, you can
quit. More than one-half of all adult smokers have quit smoking. Get help
if you need it. There are free or low-cost programs that can help you quit.
I recommend the national network of quitlines, which can be reached by
calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) and the HHS web site
www.Smokefree.gov
Thank you for joining me in the fight to improve the health and well being
of every American, including our youngest citizens.