Obama Urges American Smokers To Quit

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President Obama released a web video on Thursday encouraging the 46 million Americans who smoke to kick the habit. The video marks the Great American Smokeout, the day designated by the American Cancer Society to encourage people to quit.

A former smoker, Obama’s October medical report confirmed that he’d quit. “The fact is, quitting smoking is hard,” he says in the video. “Believe me, I know.”

Obama uses the video to tout the recently signed Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. “[The law] gives us new tools to keep cigarettes out of the hands of our kids,” he says.

Part of the law calls for stricter warning labels on cigarettes. “Today, some big tobacco companies are trying to block these labels because they don’t want to be honest about the consequences of using their products,” says Obama, referencing recent lawsuits from tobacco companies to weaken the FDA’s ability to enforce graphic warning labels.

“We’ve always known that the fight to stop smoking in this country won’t be easy,” Obama says. “But…together we can help Americans everywhere to live longer, happier and healthier lives.”

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