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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 105
BY REPRESENTATIVE HOFFMANN
HEALTH/SMOKING: Commends the surgeon general upon the fiftieth anniversary of the
Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To commend the surgeon general of the United States upon the fiftieth anniversary of the2
issuance of the Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health.3
WHEREAS, on January 11, 1964, the first United States governmental report on the4
negative consequences of smoking was released by then United States Surgeon General Dr.5
Luther Terry; and6
WHEREAS, the initial report and thirty subsequent reports released by the United7
States surgeon general have increased the nation's understanding of the devastating health8
and financial burdens caused by tobacco use; and9
WHEREAS, tobacco use causes various types of cancer, heart disease, chronic10
obstructive pulmonary disease, pregnancy complications, and a host of other diseases and11
conditions; and12
WHEREAS, as of January 2014, more than forty-three million adults of the United13
States smoke, more than eight million of these adults live with a serious illness caused by14
smoking, and more than four hundred forty thousand people of the United States die15
prematurely each year as a result of tobacco use; and16
WHEREAS, the Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health has opened the17
way for a series of important public health initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of18
tobacco use, including the addition of health warnings to cigarette packages, bans on19
cigarette advertising in the broadcast media, and the removal of fruit flavoring that appeal20
to children from cigarettes; and21 HLS 14RS-808 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 105
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WHEREAS, tobacco control policies and public health initiatives aimed at curbing1
tobacco use contributed to a decrease in the prevalence of smoking by people of the United2
States from forty-two percent in 1965, to eighteen percent in 2012; and3
WHEREAS, tobacco use remains one of the most pressing public health concerns4
of the United States and is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in5
the United States; and6
WHEREAS, as discussed in previous surgeon general reports, there are proven health7
benefits for those who quit smoking; and8
WHEREAS, just one year after quitting smoking, the risk of a heart attack drops9
sharply and, within two to five years of quitting smoking, the risk of stroke falls to about the10
same as a nonsmoker; and11
WHEREAS, within five years of quitting smoking, the risks for cancers of the mouth,12
throat, esophagus, and bladder drop by half and the risk for lung cancer drops by half within13
ten years after quitting smoking; and14
WHEREAS, upon the fiftieth anniversary of the issuance of the first Surgeon15
General's Report on Smoking and Health, the Office of the United States Surgeon General16
continues to work to increase awareness of the lessons learned and the progress that has17
taken place during the last fifty years of tobacco control efforts.18
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby19
commend the surgeon general of the United States upon the fiftieth anniversary of the20
issuance of the Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health.21
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted22
to Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Boris D. Lushniak.23
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Hoffmann HCR No. 105
Commends the U.S. surgeon general upon the 50th anniversary of the issuance of the
Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health.