Bliley TI
Rough Draft - Code Authority - Television Code Review Board
Abstract
Requests Television Code Review Board (TCRB) to "review and consider requiring revision of the anti-smoking television messages" by American Heart Association currently televised. Describes video and audio, and cites advertising guidelines relative to "'three major controllable risk factors - cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and serum cholesterol levels'". Concludes it "appropriate and fair...that any mention of smoking in relation to heart disease or heart attacks must be accompanied by references" to the other major factors. Offers to provide "supporting scientific materials" and notes expectation "to hear from [TCRB] promptly" regarding action.
Fields
- Keyword
- Anti-smoking
- CHD
- Controllable risk factors
- Coronary heart disease
- Dietary factors
- Exercise
- Heart attacks
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Margarines
- Physical stress
- Psychological stress
- Serum cholesterol
- Television
- Vegetable oils
- Named Organization
- American Heart Association
- Television Code Review Board
- Type
- Draft material
- Region
- United States
- Subject
- Advertising regulations
- Cigarettes
- Diseases
- Federal level
- Government agencies
- Health advocacy groups
- Health effects
- Human subjects
- industry response
- mass media
- advertising
Document Images
ROUGH DRAFT
March 18, 1974
Code Authority
Television Code Review Board
Gentlemen: -~
We represent the major United States cigarette
_ ~
manufacturers. This submission is made on their behalf
~ ~
to request that the Code Authority review and consider
~
requiring revision of the anti-smoking television messages
~ ~
prepared by the American Heart Association and which are
~ ~.~
presently carried on numerous television stations,
o • .-
The two television spots with which we are presently ~ ~ ~
concerned are the following:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
i. Video: Man blowing up a balloon; cigarette
~ ~ ~
punctures the balloon.
~ ~ i
Audio: YOU HAVE ONE HEART ---DON'T BLOW IT!
~
2. Video: Man riding in railroad car prepares to
light cigarette; conductor changes sign from
"smoking" to "no smoking;" man lets cigarette
fall from lips with expression of dismay.
Audio: GO WITH THE SIGN OF THE TIMES --- DON'T
SMOKE! ASK YOUR HEART ASSOCIATION FOR THE FACTS
ABOUT CIGARETTE SMOKING.
The clear implication of both of these messages is
that there is an immediate and direct connection between
cigarette smoking and heart disease or heart attacks.
Because of the absence of reference to any other suspected
factors, the inference is left with the viewer that cigarette
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smoking is the sole factor in heart disease or heart attacks~
It can be a~ply demonstrated from the recent medical
literature, including publications of studies sponsored
in whole or part by the ~erican Heart Association that a
number of factors have been correlated with the frequency
of heart ~isease or heart attacks in h~an populations.
Diet, exercise, physical and psychological stress and high
blood pressure as well as cigarette smoking have been found~
in some studies to increase the apparent risk of heart
disease or heart attacks.
This fact is given recognition in the quidelines
adopted by the Television Code Review Board for
the adver-
tising of vegetable oils, margarines, and
related products
effective January 15, 1974.
Guideline 4 states: "Allow a properly qualified
reference to coronary heart disease solely in relationship
to the three major controllable risk factors --- cigarette
smoking, high blood pressure, and serum cholesterol levels."
Guideline 5 states: "Exhort advertisers to reference
the risk factors of cigarette smoking and high blood pressure
when referencing the risk factor of serum cholesterol."
In view of the foregoing, we consider that it would
be appropriate and fair for the Television Code Review Board
to apply similar guidelines to the televising of the
aforementioned American Heart Association spots and to
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require that any mention of smoking in relation to heart
disease or heart attacks must be accompanied by references
to the other "major controllable risk factors."
We shall be happy to provide supporting scientific
materials and shall expect to hear from you promptly as
to what action you propose to take in response to this
request.
Yours very truly,
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
I~oduced as required by the Court's March 7,1998 Order in
State oi Minnesota, et al. v. Philip Mon4_s, et
Court File No.: C1-94-8565
