Contact: Beth Casteel, bcasteel@acc.org, 202.375.6275

Washington, DC – The American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) CEO, Jack Lewin, MD, today made the following statement in response to the release of the FDA’s required warnings for cigarette packages and advertisements:
 
“The American College of Cardiology is pleased the FDA has decided to increase efforts to curtail smoking with the final decision to require larger, more prominent cigarette health warnings on all cigarette packaging and advertisements in the U.S.
 
“Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., and a reduction in smoking will absolutely lead to a reduction in deaths from heart disease and stroke.  We wholeheartedly support the actions taken by the FDA and the Administration to convince Americans to either stop smoking cigarettes or to prevent them from starting.
 
“We believe this bold action will lead to better public health and prevention of heart disease especially among America’s youth. Hat’s off to Commissioner Hamburg and the FDA!”

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Interview requests for Dr. Jack Lewin can be made by contacting Beth Casteel or Shannon Cline.
 

About the American College of Cardiology

The American College of Cardiology is transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health through continuous quality improvement, patient-centered care, payment innovation and professionalism. The College is a 39,000-member nonprofit medical society comprised of physicians, surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers, and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet its stringent qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality care. More information about the association is available online at www.cardiosource.org/ACC.

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