Anne Landman's Collection
Sociopolitical Strategy
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- Cancer Society
- Congress
- Continental Airlines
- GSA
- Natl Tobacco Education Council
- Philip Morris Magazine
- TI, Tobacco Inst
- Named Person
- Koop, C. Everett, M.D. (Surgeon General ('81-'89))former US Surgeon General (1981-1989)
- Mccarthy
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SOCIOPOLITICAL STRATF)GY
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In the next five years the assault on cigarettes and smking is expected to
reach a level comparable to the anti-alcohol drive of the pre-Prohibition years.
Led by Surgeon General Yx)cp, virtually all public health associations and
various politicians, the anti-smoking imvement has three main goals:
Make smoking an unacceptable behavior in any social context.
Make cigarette promotion and advertising illegal.
Make cigarettes themselves more expensive through heavier
taxation.
During the plan period, we will face legislation to increase the federal
cigarette excise tax, to ban print and outdoor advertising, to prohibit sanpling
and promotion and to forbid smoking in any public place, office, comron carrier,
restaurant or acccmrodation. The most recent Surgeon General's Report on
enviromrental tobacco smoke has further demonstrated that the anti-smoking
forces are willing to prostitute science in their single-minded quest to
alienate srokers from society. . Even when they return to their residences,
smokers are accused of causing lung cancer in their spouses and abusing their
children if they light up at home.
The :mvement against smoking and smokers enjoys sanction from the nedia,
business leaders and government akin to that accorded Prohibition after World
War I and anti-camrnznism in the early 1950's. Scientists are actually
blacklisted for statements or research findings at variance with the party line
of the health bureaucracy. History offers some reason for hope since the
pendulum swung back against Prohibition and the McCaxthy brand of
anti-conmmulism. Our strategy then needs to be a sustained holding action with
aggressive counterattacks whenever we have the opportunity to demonstrate
weakness or fanaticism in our opponents. In the U.S. particularly, we also
have powerful traditions operating in our favor:
Americans do not like taxes on anything though some taxes are less
objectionable than others.
Americans ~o not like goverrmnnt interference in an individual `s
life though what is acceptable in practice is often at variance
with the overall principle.
Americans value free speech even for those they dislike though
they would rather have those they dislike speak quietly.
By molding our efforts against the anti-smoking rrovement in accord with
these traditions
we have been able to blunt some attacks:
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I Since 1983, we have kept the federal excise tax at $8.00 per
thousand and the growth of aggregate cigarette excise taxes below
~ the inflation rate. Of_the 32 states that considered tax increases ~
in 1986, only six enacted an increase. Thus, cigarette taxes ~
continued to decline as a percent of retail price. ~
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GROW'PH IN FEDERAL AND STATE EXCISE TAXES
Cents Per Pack
Fiscal Average
Year* Federal Excise State Excise % Increase in State
1982 8C 13.5G 1983 16~ 14.7~ +8.9%
1984 16(~ 15.3G +4.1%
1985 16~ 15.9(~ +3.8%
1986 16C 16.2G +1.9%
* July 1 of previous year through June 30 of year indicated.
Although states considered nearly 70 bills to restrict tobacco
marketing, none enacted restrictions on cigarette advertising,
pramtions or sampling in 1986. Atlanta, however, did ban
cigarette sampling in public places.
We have slowed the increase in statewide restrictions on smoking:
35 states considered such restrictions in 1986, but only six
enacted some form of smoking restriction. Because of their sheer
number, localities remain a problem: 189 cities and counties
considered such restrictions last year and 78 adopted some form
of restriction.
We successfully blunted the anti-smoking media fest of Smokeout Day
with a Great American Smoker's Program. According to the Cancer
Society's own figures, participation in the Smokeout dropped by six
million in 1986.
Unless we continue to act forcefully against our opponents, the cigarette
market will be fundamentally changed. Since PM-USA coimiands nearly 37 percent
of industry sales, 47 percent of estimated industry profits and continues to
grow one share point each year, we have the most to lose fran that change.
Thus, we must be willing to lead the fight against the anti-smoking movement and
spend considerable resources to defeat or mitigate their initiatives.
O&7ECI'IVES FOR THE PLAN PERIOD
Our strategic objective is to maximize industry volume by aggressively
blunting attacks from anti-smoking advocates and improving public perceptions of
smoking. We now have underway several major programs to influence political
decision-makers, smokers and non-smokers and the mass media. We have identified
four primary fields of battle:
The social ostracism of smokers and consequent inhibitions about
when and where to smoke caused by health-risk perceptions,
effective lobbying by anti-smoking groups, restrictive smoking
policies (public and private) and biased media coverage.
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Restrictions on the type of cigarettes sold, haa they are sold, and
where they are sold, including advertising bans, sampling
restrictions, increases in legal age and "self-extinguishing"
cigarette bills.
Pressure for higher excise taxes by federal,
governments.
state and local
Legislation on product liability.
The short-term and long-term objectives for PM-USA's sociopolitical
strategy are summarized below.
SOCIOP(LrPICAL aBJDMM
Issue 1987 Qbjective
Excise Tax No federal excise tax increase,
Increases aggregate state increases
below inflation rate.
Swking Prevent enaciment of new
Restrictions restrictions and strengthening
of existing restrictions.
Advertising Prevent any further restriction
Restrictions on advertising, sampling or
prccmtions.
Product Prevent canpulsory requix+euents
Requirements regarding ingredient dis-
,closure or "self-extinguishing"
cigarettes.
Ad Valorem Replace Hawaii's ad valozen
Taxation cigarette tax with a specific
excise tax.
Social Continue efforts to support
Acceptability srokers against anti-smoking
activities via PM Ma azine,
SYmker's Day and aggressive
media relations.
Product Press ahead with reform
Liability of product liability laws in
New Jersey, Wisconsin, Texas
and California.
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Long Range Cbjective
Aggregate federal/state
tax increases kept below
inflation rate.
Limit restrictions to
segregating smokers, not
banning snaking. Force
restrictive laws and
regulations to local and
individual business level
and away fran state/federal
govermient.
Link cigarette advertising
and promotion to the First
Amerrinent to prevent
restrictions.
Insure that any product
requiretnents inpcsed by
law do not have an adverse
effect on consumer per-
ceptions of cigarettes o"r
cause significant production
problems.
Prevent passage of any ad
valorem cigarette tax.
Create a politically power-
ful coalition of smokers to
blunt assaults against
smoking and cause problems
for the instigators of such
assaults.
Work toward a legal
envirorment in which we can
defend ourselves against
liability suits in federal or
state oourts.

STRATEGIFS
To combat the well-organized, well-funded anti-smoking movement in this
country and abroad we have put into place programs that target three groups
whose decisions and actions ultimately determine the long-term viability of our
marketplace and product.
Political Decision-Makers
We have acted to improve our ability to participate directly in the
political process. To influence federal, state and local politicians, a
regional public affairs network has been established to imnitor and combat (in
conjunction with the Tobacco Institute) legislation unfavorable to PNf-USA
interests and coordinate our activity with the field sales force and other
allies. State political action conmittees have been created to make
contributions to key political decision-makers in states where direct corporate
contributions are not permitted. At the federal level, the revised tobacco
program has begun to improve farmer-matiufacturer relations. We are building a
new tobacco coalition to strengthen our political base in Congress. We plan to
reinforce our relationship with the agricultural conuuni'ty through an active
outreach program under the auspices of the National Tobacco Education Council.
Stmkers and Other Potential Allies
Direct lobbying alone cannot stop the anti-smoking nuvement or influence an
indifferent public and media who tolerate fanatical anti-srroking activities. To
enlist public support,
recruitirent, education, we have a ecnprehensive program of identification,
conmunication and mobilization to reach out to the
public, particularly
program targets: snokers. Specifically, the constituency developrrent
Snakers we have identified through PM-USA's direct marketing and
promotional activities.
Consimiers who commuuiicate directly with PM-USA.
Retailers, wholesalers
tobacco products. and vendors who sell or profit from
Organizations that support or should support the industry.
Smokers and non-smokers identified through special political
mobilizations and promotions.
Another activity that is designed to both identify and educate smokers is
the ft.tltifilter on-pack issues coupon, which we are expanding to Parliament
carton inserts in February. We will consider using all our brands to
connnunicate with snbkers in the future. We also solicit allies through select
advocacy advertisements in newspapers.
our database now includes nearly five million smokers and may eventually
include one-third of the estimated 60 million UTnokers in the U.S., with whom we
will comnun.icate in one way or another as we go forward.
Once allies are identified, they participate in a comprehensive
canmunication program on smoking issues designed to appeal to each group's
concerns. The nnst visible cocrern-mication vehicle is Philip Morris Magazine.
The fall issue went to rrore than five million households. We are planning
regional smoker newsletters which will be precursors for smokers' clubs or
associations.
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. As we gather nanes, they are entered into our conputerized political
mobilization system to identify voting districts and elected representatives.
When political threats arise, we irobilize groups to commimicate with political
decision-sakers. Nbre than 300,000 persons have actively supported us in
political battles over taxes and smoking restrictions since 1985 by writing or
phoning their elected officials.
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1986 MOBILIZATION SYSZEM UTIZIZATION
Issue Outaome
Repeal of deductibility Repeal proposal deleted
for federal excise taxes fran tax reform bill
Increase federal excise
tax on cigarettes by 8~
Increase Florida (5% of PNF-
USA market) excise tax by 84,
Enact tough smoking restrictions in
all federal buildings (GSA proposal)
Enact ccxnprehensive srroking restriction
law covering workplaces, restaurants
and buildings in New York City
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Continental Airlines 10% discount
to non-sroking passengers
Mass N3edia
Increase proposal deleted
fran budget bill
Increase reduced to 3~
Final regulations significantly
watered down
Proposal bottled up in
City Council
Discount program dropped after
one month
The mass media, like political decision-makers, require a special program
to achieve a more balanced presentation of smoking issues. The target audience
is the print and broadcast editors who influence the general public. we have
created a ccxnprehensive nbnitoring system to track articles and editorials on
smoking in daily newspapers and periodicals throughout the U. S. This system
allows us to detect energing issues and unbalanced reporting in order to respond
accordingly. We have responded in several ways:
Rebuttal pieces, and advocacy advertising both by Philip Morris and
non-industry allies.
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Letters to the editor fran allies.
Meetings with editorial boards and publishers.
Special press briefings and media events.
National Essay Contest on comrercial free speech.
PM Magazine "news wire" to disser,unate information to local nedia
to show there is another side of the smoking issue.
We have made progress with the media in forcing at least some attention to
our side of the debate and convincing reporters to shoa the sane degree of
skepticism toaard our antagonists as they shaa to us.
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