PRESIDENT GERALD R. FORD - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 02/06/1964 - HFSID 251781

GERALD R. FORD
Congressman Ford on the government's position on the use of cigarettes and tobacco.
Typed Letter Signed: "Jerry Ford" as Congressman, 1p, 8x10½. Washington, D.C., 1964 February 6. To George Pyne, Rockford, Michigan. In full: "I have your letter of January 30th and am pleased to know of your interest in the recent report of the Presidential commission on the use of tobacco. I don't think anyone can predict what the effect of the Commission's report will be as far as an individual's use of cigarettes or tobacco is concerned. Neither do I think that the government will take any action to prohibit the use of tobacco. It will undoubtedly continue to point out the results of its studies on cigarette smoking and show how the use of cigarettes contributes to certain diseases. Each individual must then determine for himself whether he will use tobacco products. There may be some efforts to discourage young people from taking up smoking and this may include action to restrict the type of advertising which we have on radio, TV, newspapers, and magazines. There may also be some effort to control the sale of tobacco products to minors including sales through vending machines. In summary I think we can say that the government will continue to place the facts of its research before the people but that the people in the United States will have to decide for themselves to what extent they are going to use tobacco." High school student George Pyne's civics class assignment was to write to his Congressman on a current event topic. Initialed in upper left: "RM" by Ron Merlington, the teacher of Pyne's high school civics class. At the time Ford wrote this letter, there were no federal regulations regarding the use of tobacco. Two years later, in 1966, a law was passed by Congress requiring that cigarette manufacturers include a health warning on all packages and cartons of cigarettes. Another law, which went into effect in 1971, banned radio and television commercials advertising cigarettes. In 1972, manufacturers agreed to include a health warning in all cigarette advertising. Over the years, federal law has required stronger warnings. By federal law, smoking is no longer permitted on airplane flights within the United States. Laws have also been passed by state and local municipalities prohibiting smoking in various public buildings and requiring non-smoking areas in larger restaurants. At the time this letter was signed, Ford was serving on the Warren Commission, established to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. One word smudged, possibly from being typed over white out. Lightly creased, staple holes in all four blank corners. Fine condition.