VOA慢速英语2011--Tobacco Companies Challenge Efforts in US, Australia

Health Report - Tobacco Companies Challenge Efforts in US, Australia

 

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

Tobacco companies are fighting efforts in the United States and Australia to make their products less appealing.

In Washington, a federal judge last week blocked the Food and Drug Administration from requiring new warning labels on cigarette packs. Judge Richard Leon ruled in a case brought by five tobacco companies.

The judge temporarily stopped a new federal rule to require large new warnings starting next September. These include color images such as a dead body or diseased lungs.

Simple text warnings now appear.

Congress called for color images showing the dangers of smoking, similar to what Canada does. But the tobacco companies say the new requirements approved in June violate their free speech rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Judge Leon said the FDA could not require the new labels before a lawsuit¹ against the government is decided². Some experts say the process could take years. The judge said he believes the cigarette makers³ are highly likely to win their case.

Cigarette packs with graphic4 health pictures on a table at a pub in Sydney, Australia, in July

He says the images are designed to appeal to emotion, rejecting government arguments that they are purely⁵ factual. He accused the government of trying to use the labels to promote an "obvious anti-smoking agenda!"

The head of an anti-smoking group, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, called the decision "wrong on the science and wrong on the law."

About one-fifth of American adults smoke. The World Health Organization says tobacco kills nearly six million people worldwide each year. More than six hundred thousand of them are non-smokers who breathe other people's tobacco smoke.

In Australia, tobacco companies want to stop what would be the world's most restrictive laws on cigarette advertising⁷. Cigarettes could be sold only in plain olive-green packages. Only the brand name and health warnings could appear.

The Senate passed the bill last week and sent it back to the lower house to approve minor⁸ amendments⁹. The law is to go into effect in December of next year.

Tobacco companies say the legislation violates the Australian constitution. They say it would unjustly reduce the value of their brand names and trademarks¹⁰. Health Minister Nicola Roxon says the government is ready for a legal fight.

NICOLA ROXON: "Every time a smoker⁶ -- twenty or thirty times a day -- takes a cigarette pack out of their pocket, we want to make sure that all that it's showing is the harm that can be caused from tobacco. This law will be a big win for families who have lost a loved one to tobacco-related illness."

And that’s the VOA Special English Health Report. I'm Faith Lapidus.

1 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

5 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

6 smoker   

n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室

参考例句：

• His wife dislikes him to be a smoker.他妻子不喜欢他当烟民。
• He is a moderate smoker.他是一个有节制的烟民。

7 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

8 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

9 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

10 trademarks   

n.（注册）商标( trademark的名词复数 )；（人的行为或衣着的）特征，标记

参考例句：

• Motrin and Nuprin are trademarks of brands of ibuprofen tablets. Nuprin和Motrin均是布洛芬的商标。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many goods in China have the trademarks of a panda. 中国的许多商品都带有熊猫的商标。 来自《简明英汉词典》