Tobacco Documents Online

I Gave_^.cr's A,,-i^.te: Citizens' ?ar:el on Smaki.c azy-l :ealtz \.%C Ei1lLVV RZMa'SC<.1.7 Maurice S. Reizen, M.D., Director :Kichigan Departnent of Pl:blic Health June 19, 1980 The michigan Public Health Code was passed tao years ago and took effect CL;t :ber 1. It re.xarked the cne-hurxlred year history of assorted laws that the Public Health Decartnent had accL=ulated. Qze directive of the Public Health Code is t'^.at the Michigan Depa=.e.nt of Public Health sha11 establish a chronic disease prevention and control pro- gram which sha11l include arthritis, cancer, dental, diabetes, genetic disease heart disease, hyper},.ension, renal disease and any other disease that the Den3rtent designates as chronic pursuant to Section 5439. The Depart:-ent may prrmuigate rules to irrplenent the section including such rules desingating addi'.tional chronic diseases. Cigarette srmking is a major oontributing cause of chronic disease, including cancer, heart disease and hypertension. There is no doubt in the r,sids of most of us that the evidence is oveiwhe.Lmir:g that cigarette stnking is a major cause of disease and disability. u.icnigan has just begun to emphasize health p~ntion and health prevention activities. Part of this thrust is to recoc,-nize that smJcing is one of the causes of preventable disability and death in the State. Cigarette smoking is one of the major risk factors that is causally linked to many of the ten lead; ng causes of death in Michigan. Cove.rnflr William Milliken has specifi- cally ac3dressed this health problem in his 1980 State of the State Message. The State of the State Message was delivered in January of 1980. It states, "As part of our effort to shift the empi-~asis of Michigan's health prcgrans tcward preventicn, we have taken steps to address the tl,xeat of tobacco-related illness and death. In 1979, the dimen- sicns of this proble*n were again outlined in the United States Surgeon Ce-ne_~-al's report on health pza; oticn and disease preventicn. Lz that report, smaki.ng is cited as the greatest single preventable cause of death in Pmerica today. Mic'zigan health statistics cite sineking as a factor in heart disease, cancer, st--c}ce and even in- fluenza and gieL=aia, causing prenature disabilities and death. It is time to develop a plan to ccnfrcnt the health effects of cigarette smoring, annng chi].drez and youth. I wi11 socn agcoint a citizens' ranell on szrc,3cir:g and health to recaam_-4 act+cns to redl:ce and prevent toba~.-c_-,-related illr.ess and death. Mis reocrt shculd be sutrsit+..ed to me by Vovm-b-_- 15.11 I (

r I I i I I I c t I Gpe-^.i:.g PE_-ar'l.s jL:.e 19, 1980 Pace ^~ This report is to be sz:Lznitted to the Co-,er.:or :y ~:o~~: ber 15, 1960. ;,,Iie ~ e task vcu urde_-ta~Ke to a.ccc=1ish this c,-eal, will be fcr.-~•~bie i-i the short a.rcunt of ti.-ne you have been gi~,en, there is no cuest;cn that ..-cu wi].y be per:o .r ;tir.g a great service to t' :e people of th.is S t,.:te . I;:e Office of Health Educaticn was established in 1979 in the ~Lic.h.ican PeDar=rant of PubLc Health in resnense to the Public Health Code. The resaonsibil: ties of this unit to the Par.el are twofold. :he first is to provide professional direction, a'cmi.nistrative support and s`.aff work necessary to achieve the goal of the Citizens' Panel by Niove::re_Y, 1980. TZ:e second is to organize and ccnduct a series of Citizens' Panel meetLngs during this ti-re which will identify specific objectives in the develorrent of a work plan and provide the supoort needed to camlete the plan. Dcctor Willi.am Clextcn will represent me and will provide MDPH pelic_y a.^.d direc*,icn as needed and as recuested by you. Llhe University of :vlic:h.igan, Scct:ool of Public Health is cooperatina with the De^z.artmnt to prov~..de the r.ecessary staff to achieve the goals and ebjecj-aves of the Citizens' Panel. Professor Warr.er will contribute his expertise to the Panel, to work with the Cffice of Health Education staff in tr.e planninc, develcpment and caorrdi.ation of the Panel ac~~i.vities and participate by reviewing the develcpr.rnnt of the Panel Report to the Governor's office. It is our suggestion that this first meeting be devoted entirely to sur- veying possible policy alternatives and selecting these policy areas that will be discussed in subsequent meetings. We appreciate the fact that you have rrade time in your schedules to wvtc with us in reaching these ebj ectives . The tim allotted to ca=lete the report is short; therefore, it is essential to be as prcduc}..ive as possible in the next few mcntzs. Cn be?a1f of the Department and staff, we welcune you as mebers of the Citizens' Panel on i'mckir.g and Health. We welcome your i-ivwlcnmTP_nt and hard work in assisting the Department in carrying out its r.adate by the Governor. C?ie other ite:n I wauld like to share with you is the cor.cept of the a=Doint- ment of a chairperson of the Panel. Llie Governor has delegated the re- spons'zbility of appointing a chairperson to me. yIy met^cd of cpe~rati.^.g is to see how the grrnra wc~~cs and not to randc~nly appoint a cha.i_-person. So with your indulgas.ce, I cxnild like to ask Dr. Clexton to be C~ai~.--rsan ?_o Ten. After a neeting or t~%;o, the Panel may want to call for an elec+-icn. I trust that this wculd be acceptable to you. Cne final caveat, when you sit at any one of t~.e many bcar-~...s, ca:missicns, and cam.Littees that advise me, you are representing the e.^.t=re state of Michican and its people. I ask of you when you make decisions that _vcu ask ycu."selves, uinat is in the best interests of the nine plus milLcn people in the state. This is a difficult task to u7r:e_rtake and a challen,e that ;tust be treated with m:c:n resoect. -29-