A Smoker's Alliance

Anne Landman's Collection

A Smoker's Alliance

Date: 1993 (est.)
Length: 57 pages
2022839671-2022839727
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Abstract

This Philip Morris internal presentation, A Smoker's Alliance, is a formative document for PM's "smokers rights" front group, the National Smokers Alliance (NSA), which PM created to help the corporation fight the spread of public health laws mandating clean indoor air.

Philip Morris plainly lays out the driving purpose of formation of the NSA:

"Financial impact of smoking bans will be tremendous. Three to five fewer cigarettes per day per smoker will reduce annual manufacturer profits a billion dollars plus per year." [page Four, Bates No. 2022839674]

PM laments that "past efforts to mobilize smokers have not have the desired impact," and that "many smokers are abdicating to social and regulatory pressures..."

PM says that funding for its new smokers rights group must come from broad sources so it won't reflect "just the self-interests of a tobacco manufacturer," despite the fact that the very formation of the group springs from exactly that. PM then suggests that all groups associated in any way with tobacco be tapped for funding: all major U.S. tobacco companies, leaf growers, distributors, and retailers.

The ideal leaders of PM's smoker organization would be "Former members of Congress (Senate or House)," "Former administration officials" or "a quasi-celebrity--show business or some other definition."

The goal was to create a seemingly independent "militant sector" of smokers who would protest measures Philip Morris didn't like and help defeat them

User-Contributed Notes

Fields

Quotes

II. Opportunity A new smoker's alliance could play a key role at this critical time. Lobbying efforts are facing increasing difficulty:

* Even national representatives from tobacco states are losing heart for defending smokers' rights and sustaining the tobacco industry

* The power of the vested interest of the tobacco industry has not been fully brought to bear in sustaining smokers rights

o Financial impact of smoking bans will be tremendous. Three to five fewer cigarettes per day per smoker will reduce annual manufacturer profits a billion dollars plus per year.

Company

Philip Morris

Author

Philip Morris (corporate author)

Recipient

Philip Morris (corporate recipient)

Region

United States

Litigation

Used in Janoff vs. Philip Morris et al, August 2002.

Operation/Project

National Smokers Alliance (NSA) (PM front group formed to create political influence)

The National Smokers Alliance formed by the public relations firm Burson Marstellar on behalf of Philip Morris to create a seemingly "independent" political pressure group and to wield political influence. PM's funding of the group was hidden initially until exposed in 1997 by Americans for Nonsmokers Rights.

Type

Presentation, report

Subject

Front groups

Corporate strategy

Document Images

Page 1: fmo44e00

A Smokers' Alliance Philip Morris Draft July 9, 1993 T49sCezzoz

Page 2: fmo44e00

Page 3: fmo44e00

I The Current Environment Without strong and immediate action on the part of smokers, the government could effectively ban smoking in the next 5 years Environment has changed since January, 1993 - Activists empowered with change of administration - ETS assessment puts "non smokers at risk" Past efforts to mobilize smokers have not had the desired impact on smoking restrictions and bans have accelerated Unstated activist agenda is to make smoking illegal everywhere in the U. S . Many smokers are abdicating to regulatory and social pressures without recognizing the potential of a New Prohibition V49sCszzoz 3

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il Opportunity A new smokers' alliance could play a key role at this critical time Lobbying efforts are facing increasing difficulty Even national representatives from tobacco states are losing heart for defending smokers' rights and sustaining the tobacco industry The power of the vested interest of the tobacco industry has not been fully brought to bear in sustaining smokers rights - Financial impact of smoking bans will be tremendous Three to five fewer cigarettes per day per smoker will reduce annual manufacturer profits a billion dollars plus per year '6L9sCszzoz a