CT Attorney General To Testify Before Congress On Bill To Ban Mailing Of Cigarettes, Undercutting Internet Sales

April 24, 2008 -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will testify before a congressional committee later today in Washington D. C. supporting a measure to prohibit mail shipments of cigarettes and other tobacco products. If passed, the bill would effectively end sales of cigarettes and tobacco products over the Internet.

Cigarette butts: Photo by The Other

The nation's private delivery services -- including United Parcel Service, Federal Express and others -- already have a voluntary ban on shipment of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

"The mails should dump -- not deliver -- cigarettes," Blumenthal said. "We should put Internet sellers of cigarettes out of business and eradicate smoke and mirrors in the mail. Congress must bar mail delivery of cigarettes to effectively crash Internet sites selling cigarettes, and fight teen smoking and tobacco tax evasion.

"We cannot permit the United States Postal Service -- an arm of the government -- to deliver death and addiction to children. Laws enabling it should be ended.

"Hundreds of websites now sell cigarettes, and studies show more and more teens turning to the Internet to evade minimum age laws. In one study, 29 of 30 teens successfully purchased cigarettes over the Internet with 77 percent receiving delivery. Another survey showed the percentage of ninth grade smokers purchasing cigarettes online jumping more than two and half times between 2001 and 2005 to over 5 percent.

"Stopping mail delivery will stifle a major source of illicit cigarette sales to children -- and tax cheats.

"Congress should compel the Postal Service to follow the strong stand taken by private delivery services that refuse shipment or delivery of tobacco products. Like private delivery services, the mail should be off limits to cigarette sales enabling underage smoking and tax evasion. Congress should follow the delivery services' example, passing legislation forbidding cigarette shipments by mail."

Blumenthal is scheduled to testify at 3 p.m. today before the Federal Workforce, Postal Service and District of Columbia Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Source: Connecticut Attorney General

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