A new opportunity has arisen for advocates of efforts to restrict access of our youth to tobacco products. This opportunity is to encourage our president to endorse the recent recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration that nicotine be regulated as an addictive drug. The Republican leadership in Congress and, of course, the tobacco industry, are calling the FDA’s move “insane” and a power grab.

Reasoned minds know better, but the tobacco-state lawmakers are loud and powerful, and it is going to take a great deal of public encouragement to President Clinton to help him to remain firm and not compromise the FDA’s proposed regulations for political purposes. “As Maine goes, so goes the nation” may again become true as one of the proposed regulations is to license cigarette retailers, a step the Maine Legislature took this past session (thanks to a concerted effort by many people, led by the Maine Coalition on Smoking OR Health).

Letters in support of the FDA’s recommendations should be sent to Clinton at the White House, 1600 Pensylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20500. Walter B. Furbush Staff director Maine Cardiovascular Health Council, Augusta