Anne Landman's Collection
Smoking and Baby Weight
Abstract
This brief memo from Helmut Wakeham (head of Research and Development at Philip Morris) to Clifford Goldsmith (Chief of Operations at PM USA) shows that by 1969 PM was aware of medical consensus that smoking causes pregnant women to produce smaller babies, and that "smaller babies suffer detrimental effects all through life." Ray Fagan's analyses of the studies (mentioned in the memo) can be seen at http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=wou74e00&fmt=pdf&ref=results It states,
"All the investigations of this type agree that smoking mothers have babies of lower birth weight than non-smoking mothers, and that these lower weight babies are more likely to experience problems later in life. Whether the mechanism is that of a 'slight poison' as suggested by Russell et al or whether the mechanism is through the reduced appetite of the mother (and hence poor nutrition) is yet to be decided."
Fields
- Notes
This document was used as a trial exhibit in Minnesota.
- Quotes
Now we have a study of the effect of smoking in pregnancy which supports previous conclusions that smoking mothers produce smaller babies.
The position of the medical people is that smaller babies suffer detrimental effects all through life. For example, in identical twins, the smaller one at birth has lower intelligence test scores at age 10. The assumption, of course, is that both twins have similar heredities and environments.
Dr. Fagan's summary of these studies is attached.
- Company
- Philip Morris Cos., Inc.
- Author
- Wakeham, Helmut R. R., Ph.D. (PM R&D VP)Vice President and Director of Research & Development, Philip Morris
- Recipient
- Goldsmith, Clifford Henry (B&H (1953), PM Chief of Operations ('65) Pres of PM, Inc. (')1953 Benson & Hedges. 1965 Philip Morris USA Chief of Operations. 1969-73 President of Philip Morris, Inc. 1978 PM Chief Executive. Served on Tobacco Institute Executive Committee, 1979.
- Region
- United States
- Litigation
- Stmn/Produced
- Stmn/Selected
- Stmn/Trial Exhibit P-10269
- Stmn/Selected
- Type
- Memorandum
- Subject
- birth defect
Document Images
