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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release August 10, 1995

                        REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
                      BEFORE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

The Oval Office

10:18 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and gentlemen, today I have brought together medical experts and children who have taken a pledge against smoking to talk about our common commitment to ending youth smoking.

This issue is critical to our efforts to improve the health of our nation. According to the Center for Disease Control, of the two million Americans who will die in 1995, over 400,000 of them will have conditions related to smoking.

Later today I will announce my strategy for combating this problem based on one simple idea: We should do everything we possibly can to keep tobacco out of the hands of our young people in the United States.

Now I'd like to call on Shana Bailey, who is a 12-year-old from Florida who's part of a successful program that teaches students how and why they should stay smoke-free.

(Gifts are presented to the President.)

END 10:19 A.M. EDT