Source:Los Angeles Timespage A14
Contact:(letters@latimes.com)

From Associated Press

WASHINGTONLawmakers who received contributions from tobacco companies were
three times more likely to have voted to block spending to help states
fight cigarette sales to minors,says a new analysis by smoking foes.

The Food and Drug Administration requested$34 million,,to be distributed to
states,to enforce new federal rules to prevent teenage tobacco sales.The
full Senate is expected to decide this week how much antitobacco money to
give the FDA.

An attempt to provide the full amount was blocked in July.A Senate
committee voted to provide just $4.9 million,and the full Senate voted
5248 to turn back an amendment by Sen. Tom Harkin(DIowa)that would have
added the remaining funds.

Now an analysis of campaign contributions from tobacco companies shows that
senators who opposed Harkin's amendment had received 15 times more tobacco
money during the last election year than did supporters of the FDA funding.

The campaign for TobaccoFree Kids said that of the 47 senators who had
received money from the tobacco industry,83% voted to table Harkin's
amendment.