Report of the President's Commission on Tobacco. The report of the 10-person committee appointed by president Clinton last year to review and make recommendations regarding the well being of tobacco farmers and the goals of the medical community to reduce tobacco consumption has been released. This committee was composed of four tobacco growers, four from the medical community and two economic development specialists.

While the goals of reducing tobacco use while protecting tobacco farmers income may seem conflicting, the committee agreed on a set of principles. Tobacco is a major source of farm income in several southern states, even though the amounts of U.S. tobacco purchased has declined much since 1997. However, the medical community supports some type of tobacco program to regulate production and to monitor production practices.

Much of the remaining tobacco quota is owned by individuals who do not grow the crop, but lease the quota to those who are in production. The commission recommended that quota owners have their quota "bought out" at $8.00 per pound over a five year period. Current growers would be assigned a non-transferable right to grow the crop. The total amount of growing rights would be determined in a like manner of current quota determination. This right could not be sold or rented. The purpose here is to get the quota into the hands of those who grow the crop. Those who have depended on quota rent for annual income could invest their funds to generate this same amount of revenue.

The commission further recommended for Congress to establish a Center for Tobacco Dependent Communities to be responsible for technical assistance and education on topics such as supplemental crops, economic diversification in rural areas and alternative uses for tobacco that do not harm public health and similar themes.

On public health issues, the commission recommended that states do more to fund comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Also, they recommended the FDA to establish fair and equitable regulatory means of the manufacture , sale and labeling of tobacco products.

Funding, it suggested, would be obtained by an excise tax on tobacco products.

These points are a brief summary. Further details can be obtained from "Tobacco at a Crossroads -- A Call for Action", issued May 14, 2001. (Bill Givan)

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