Bliley RJReynolds
Redacted Material - (P.8903) Portion of Report, Prepared by RJR Managerial Employee Which Reflects the Substance of Confidential Attorney-Client Communications Between M Crohn (RJR in-House Legal Counsel) and RJR Personnel Concerning Smoking and Health Matters, and (Pp.8916-8923) Concerning Regulatory, Legislative and Public Relations Matters.
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NATIONAL COMMISSION ~ -
ON SMOKING AND PUBLIC POLICY
• National Commission announced report at a news conference in
New York City on January 31.
• This so-called Blue-Ribbon Commission was appointed by the
American Cancer Society in October, 1976, and charged
with
gathering testimony from all over the country in order
to
develop a "public mandate against cigarette smoking.."
• Media coverage of the news conference was extensive in the
New York area; however, none of the nationalTV broadcasters
covered the conference.
• Press coverage around the country has been spotty. For example,
Washington Post had no mention of National Commission news
conference°
NEWS CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
• The ACS's central goal should be to move "as rapidly as
possible toward a nonsmoking society." "
• The "cigarette industry in the United States is essentially
° unregulated" and "unaccountable to any agency of government
for the content of its products or the health consequences
of their USeo"
• "Despite its own findings and warnings about the hazards of
cigarette smoke, the response to this problem by the federal
government on both congressional and executive levels has been
minimal and symbolic." It described the failure to regulate
the cigarette industry as a "national disgrace."
• The Commission also singled out the ACS, saying that the group
"has not used its potential resources to the fullest, parti-
-~cularly in the area of public policy."
• The panel's recommendations included a laundry list of ideas
fox.regulation and education:
(a) Establish a cabinet-level committee on smoking and health.
(b) Phase ou£ over a 10-year period the Tobacco Price-Support
System.
(c) Eliminate tobacco products from those exported under the
Food for Peace Program°
(d) Pay for an anti-smoking media advertising campaign through
the Department of HEW.
-(e) Replace the federal excise tax with an increased graduated
tax based on tar and nicotine content.
(f) The Federal Trade Commission should obtain an agreement
from tobacco companies to eliminate the use of human
models in advertising and to cease advertising cigarettes
that produce more than 10 mg. of tar and 0.7 mg. of
nicotine per cigarette.
~g) The FTC also should require a more explicit warning on
• cigarette packages, and advertising and labeling should
...... be expanded to include the carbon monoxide content of
smoke°
2
(h) The Department of Labor should ensure workers of a
smoke-free environment°
(i) M~litary establishments should discontinue the sale of
tax-free.cigaretteso
.(j) State and local governments were encouraged to restrict
smoking in public places, to enforce ban on c~garette
sales to minors, and to use part of their cigarette tax
revenues to combat smoking. Elementary and secondary
• schools were encouraged to conduct comprehensive anti-
smoking education programs and establish stop-smoking
clinics.
(k) Physicians and other health professionals were urged to
do more to discourage patients from smoking and to use
their influence on legislators considering smoking
regulations.
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
• Following the National Commission's news conference, Commission
members presented their report to the ~ull ACS Board. Pre-
sentation basically the same as that used at news conference.
• After formal presentation, each Commission member ~ade short
statement as to importance of their findings, how sure they
were of evidence, etc. Mention was made of the long and arduous
discussions the Commission had had about whether they should
recommend prohibition of smoking°
• In the discussion following the Commission's report Mr. Paul
Williams, ACS Board member from New York City and Chairman of
NYC ACS (also former State supreme court Justice), expressed
some serious concerns about the Commission report° He stated
that if the ACS Board accepted the report, "this meant a
change in the ACS's role as an education and scientific organi-
zation to a cohesive political organization." He went on to
~ay that the ACS had never been "repressive" and that "we are
• an anti-cancer society and not an anti-smoking society."
• The ACS Board meeting concluded with the National Commission's
report being formally accepted, with the comment that it would
be discussed further to decide which parts the ACS wanted to
adopt°
TOBACCO INSTITUTE'S RESPONSE
• TI staff as well as representatives from the tobacco
companies attended all National Commission forums.
• Committee was formed of TI staff and member company
representatives to analyze all testimony at the
hearings and to identify key issues.
•
• On each of the key issues identified, position papers
have been developed.
• • In net, TI is now prepared in good part. to defend
itself on issues emanating out of the ACS hearings.
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