Blumenthal to schools: Drop ‘deadly deal’ with big tobacco

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) urged the National School Boards Association to end its partnership with “big tobacco” in anti-smoking campaigns.

“Using the message that kids need to wait until they are adults to use tobacco products in effect dares or invites them to begin smoking now,” Blumenthal said Monday. “Big tobacco’s goal in this deal is to promote smoking, not prevent it.” 

{mosads}Blumenthal’s said a proposed “Right Decision Right Now” campaign from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was purely a “PR” move to recruit and “replace the customers it kills.” 

He said the campaign focuses instead on the age one can make the decision to start smoking rather than simply telling children not to smoke because of the harmful health effects.

“I call on the National School Boards Association to end its deadly deal with R.J. Reynolds and to create a truly effective tobacco prevention campaign,” Blumenthal said. “I urge local school boards to see through this sham and reject the deal.”