FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 22, 2006 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Brett Garner (brett@peteashdown.org) Office: (801) 983-7383 *****PRESS RELEASE***** Ashdown Pledges No Tobacco $, Will Support FDA Legislation ST. GEORGE, UT--Pete Ashdown, Democratic nominee for the US Senate in Utah, today agreed to reject all campaign funds from tobacco companies and to support legislation that grants the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products. "I believe to represent Utah you have to represent her values; taking money from tobacco companies does not represent Utah values," Ashdown said. Yesterday, the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund called on Ashdown to "formally pledge to reject tobacco contributions and support effective FDA legislation." Ashdown, a Bountiful native and founder of XMission, Utah's first Internet service provider, agreed to the pledge, saying: "Of all the states whose representatives should abhor tobacco money, it should be Utah." Utah consistently has the lowest tobacco use rates in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System. Ashdown also pledged to support legislation to place tobacco under FDA regulation, and hoping to end the political patronage tobacco has enjoyed since our nation's inception. "If we are ever going to drastically reduce tobacco consumption in the US, it requires informed consumers; FDA regulation will require tobacco companies to tell the truth about their ingredients, like any other product," Ashdown said. Noting the Massachusetts Department of Health reported last month that tobacco companies have significantly increased nicotine content in cigarettes since 1998, Ashdown said "cigarettes should have the same labeling requirements that breakfast cereal and other products have." Ashdown will be holding an event at the Painted Pony Restaurant, Ancestor Square, 2 West St. George Blvd, in St. George from 3 PM to 5 PM. He will also be in the Santa Clara Swiss Days and Southern Utah University Homecoming Parades on Saturday. Further events next week in Tooele, Vernal, and Layton are noted on the campaign calendar.